President Ersin Tatar attended a commemoration ceremony held by the Gazi University in Ankara as part of events marking December 21-25 National Struggle and Martyrs’ Week.

The ceremony started with the screening of a short video documentary on the Turkish Cypriot peoples’ struggle for existence followed by a speech delivered by Fevzi Alper, the son of martyr Kemal Özalper.

Speeches were also delivered by the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the Gazi University Prof Dr. Mustafa Necmi İlhan whose father Major Nihat İlhan is also a martyr.

Also addressing the ceremony, President Ersin Tatar said that Cyprus was vital for the perpetuation of the Turkish nation.

He said that the TRNC had adopted a new policy on Cyprus, one which was based on the continuation of the state, its independence and sovereignty.

Tatar added that there are two separate sovereign states in Cyprus, two separate administrations for the past 60 years which was why it was out of the question for the Turkish Cypriot side to back out of its current position supported fully by Turkey.

He also highlighted the importance of protecting the rights of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot people in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean.

President Ersin Tatar was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Gazi University.