The Cyprus issue did not begin in 1974 with Turkey’s intervention on the island, this intervention took place as a result of the problems caused by the Greek Cypriots.

This statement belongs to Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu who evaluated the history of Cyprus and the role it played during an online conference organized by the Centre for Middle Eastern Studies.

He reminded that the Cyprus issue did not begin in 1974 with the Turkish Peace Operation but had started with the Greek Cypriots’ exclusion of the Turkish Cypriots from the Republic of Cyprus in 1963.

“Turkey’s intervention on the Island in 1974 is not the beginning of the Cyprus problem. This intervention took place as a result of the problems caused by the Greek Cypriots. Turkey intervened on the Island by using its guarantor right” said Ertuğruloğlu.

Reminding that the Ottomans conquered Cyprus in 1571, he noted that Cyprus has a very important geopolitical position and that many international powers have policies regarding the island and the region.

Stating that the Cyprus issue is not only between the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots, Ertuğruloğlu said that besides Turkey and Greece, the EU, the UN and many other countries are parties to this issue.

“When you talk to the Greek Cypriots in Cyprus today, they believe that the Island is a Hellenic Island. Greek Cypriots do not see Turkish Cypriots as their equals. This has nothing to do with the reality of the island. Cyprus has never been a Greek island” said Ertuğruloğlu.

He added that while the island was ruled by the Ottomans for 300 years, it was never a Greek island.

Noting that the hydrocarbon crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean sums up the aggressive attitude of the Greek Cypriots very well, Ertuğruloğlu emphasized that all scenarios in which Turkey and the TRNC are not taken into account will fail.

Underlining that Turkey has taken all measures against the aggressive and unilateral activities of the Greek Cypriots in the Eastern Mediterranean, Ertuğruloğlu reminded the importance of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Limitation of Maritime Jurisdictions signed between Turkey and Libya in 2019.

He noted that the steps taken by the Greek Cypriots and Greece in the Eastern Mediterranean, with the support of energy companies from different countries and without taking Turkey and the TRNC into account, will not be successful.