A funeral was held on Wednesday for Martyr Şevket Mustafa Gürsoy who had died in Mersin in Turkey on June 4 1964, months after being transferred to a hospital for his injuries received during an attack by Greek Cypriots in the January of 1964.

His body which was exhumed from his grave in Turkey and transferred to the TRNC was laid to rest with full military honours at the Martyrs Cemetery in Lefkoşa.

President Ersin Tatar, Prime Minister Ersan Saner, Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu, Turkish Ambassador to Lefkoşa Ali Murat Başçeri, the Commander of the Turkish Peace Forces in Cyprus Major General Sezai Öztürk, Commander of the Cyprus Turkish Security Forces Major General Zorlu Topaloğlu, other officials and the family members of the martyr all attended the funeral.

Speaking during the ceremony Martyr Şevket Mustafa Gürsoy’s son Mustafa Gürsoy thanked everyone who assisted in bringing his father back to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Also saying a few words during the ceremony, President Ersin Tatar said that the price paid by the Turkish Cypriot people, the sacrifices and attrocities they experienced are still on record.

Tatar emphasized that all the pain suffered by the Turkish Cypriot people forms the main pillar of a two-state solution based on sovereign equality.

He said the sufferings of the martyrs will not be in vain.

Noting that they are striving for the well-being of the TRNC, President Tatar stated that they are telling the world that with the support of motherland Turkey, a result can be reached with the cooperation of the two sovereign states currently living side by side in Cyprus.

“There is a state here and since 1963, 57 years later we are striving for the benefit of the TRNC. With the support of motherland Turkey, we are telling the world that a solution in Cyprus is possible. On the weekend we will be in New York and we will tell the world once again” said Tatar.