President Ersin Tatar on Thursday said that Turkey with its growing role and position in the Eastern Mediterranean was displaying a strong will in protecting the rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot People.

Speaking at a symposium in İzmir, Turkey, Tatar said that Turkey’s presence in Cyprus must continue.

“Otherwise the same games being played in the Aegean will be played in the Eastern Mediterranean. Their intentions are well known,” he said.

Pointing out that Turkey had made unwilling concessions when signing the Treaty of Lausanne because the conditions at the time dictated it, President Ersin Tatar said that Greece since then has overstepped its boundaries, demanding more concessions from Turkey such as extending its maritime borders to 12 miles.

He added that it was not possible for Turkey to accept such demands.

Explaining that Turkey as a guarantor state in Cyprus should always be at the negotiating table, Tatar said, “Our position in terms of the future of the Turkish Cypriot People is achieving a settlement based on two states.

Pointing out that attempts were being made to break off Turkey’s ties with the Turkish Cypriot People, President Tatar said, “Turkey will be deprived of its supply lines if it is forced to abandon Cyprus. Furthermore, its security in the Eastern Mediterranean could be threatened, its access to open seas cut off. We are an extension of the same nation. We are working together, adopting a joint strategy.”

Tatar also said he has been advocating for a two-state solution since his election as it was out of the question for them to accept a federal settlement on the island.

Stating that the Greek Cypriot side’s only goal was to transform Cyprus into a Greek island, Tatar said that Turkey with its 85 million-strong population and growing defence industry was displaying a strong will in defending the rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot people.

“There is a Turkish state in the Eastern Mediterranean and that is the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. This state owes its sovereignty and existence to the just struggle waged by the Turkish Cypriot People,” he added.

Tatar concluded by stating that Cyprus was currently enjoying peace because of the presence of Turkish troops on the island.

“Had Turkish forces not arrived, we would have seen more blood being spilt. That is why the presence of the Turkish Armed Forces must continue. This is something which the Turkish Cypriot People attach great importance to,” he said.

Tatar added that the Cyprus Issue did not just concern Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots but was also important in terms of maintaining the balance between Turkey and Greece.

Also speaking at the symposium, the Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said that Turkey will continue its hydrocarbon exploration activities in its own maritime jurisdiction areas.

He added that any project in the Eastern Mediterranean which excluded Turkey and the TRNC had no chance of succeeding.

Also touching upon the decision taken by the Greek Cypriot education ministry to withdraw an English textbook that included a section on Atatürk, Akar said that this was a new example of the distorted and hostile mentality of the Greek Cypriot side.

“We strongly condemn this action”, he said.