President Ersin Tatar has stated that on the Cyprus issue a new policy is being pursued with the full support of the Republic of Turkey.
Pointing to the process experienced in the last 50 years regarding the Cyprus problem, Tatar said, “We are faced with a great injustice, we have to maintain our right with self-confidence.”
The president’s words came during a symposium at the Eastern Mediterranean University.
The symposium titled Cyprus: Past, Present and Future International Symposium on the 450th anniversary of the Conquest of Cyprus, was realized thanks to the cooperation of the Republic of Turkey Atatürk Culture, Language and History High Institution, the Presidency of the Turkish History Institution and the Eastern Mediterranean University’s Atatürk Research and Application Center.
Delivering an opening speech President Ersin Tatar said that the Cyprus issue dated back to 1571 and referring to the historical process that took place he said that many Greeks and Greek Cypriots were settled on the island during the British Colonial period and that the population structure was deliberately changed to the detriment of the Turks on the island.
“Turkish Cypriots and Turkey have never ignored Cyprus, they are the first owners of the island,” said Tatar and added that nothing has changed.
Underlining that a new policy is being carried out with the full support of the Republic of Turkey, Tatar said “there is no federation. Negotiations have been held in good faith for 50 years. The Greek Cypriot side voted ‘no’ to the Annan Plan and was unilaterally admitted to the European Union. A great injustice was carried out against the Turkish Cypriots”.
He noted that the Cyprus problem was further complicated, Tatar reiterated that a great injustice was carried out against the Turkish Cypriot people.
Turkish Ambassador to Lefkoşa Ali Murat Başçeri also delivered an opening speech at the symposium by drawing attention to the importance of Cyprus, past present and future.
Stating that history shapes the fate of people and societies, Başçeri said that the understanding and studying of history will shed light on future generations.