Tatar visited Society for Martyrs’ Families
Date Added: 22 December 2021

President Ersin Tatar said on Tuesday that the argument that a federal settlement will bring peace and equality in Cyprus was not true.

Speaking during a visit to the Society of Martyrs’ Families and Disabled War Veterans as part of events marking the National Struggle and Martyrs’ Week, Tatar said that a federal settlement was a ploy designed to trick Turkish Cypriots.

“Some opposition circles are unfortunately hiding the truth claiming that a federal settlement will bring peace and equality in Cyprus. This is not the case. In the event a federal settlement is reached, the current so-called Republic of Cyprus will continue to exist while the TRNC will be dissolved. The Republic of Cyprus will be renamed the Cyprus Federal Republic with changes introduced to the constitution and Turkish Cypriots will be reduced to a minority,” he said.

President Tatar said that the Turkish Cypriot people no longer desired a federal partnership with Greek Cypriots but a two-state solution based on sovereign equality where the two states will cooperate.

“We do not want to return to 1974 and we are trying to explain this at every opportunity we get,” he added.

Also highlighting the importance of Turkey’s support to the Turkish Cypriot people, Tatar said that they will never abandon Turkey’s guarantees nor will they submit to the Greek Cypriots.

He concluded his words by praising the heroic struggle put up by the martyrs and war veterans.

“There is no other people on this world that has resisted so hard and so much against attacks and oppression. There are no words to describe the pride we feel about our martyrs, our fighters and our soldiers. We are only able to live freely and independently on this island today as a result of their sacrifices,” Tatar said.

Also speaking, the President of the Society of Martyrs’ Families and Disabled War Veterans Gürsel Benan said that of the 1,817 martyrs, 200 of them were children and 170 women.

Benan said that they no longer wanted to live together with Greek Cypriots and will do all that is necessary for the preservation of the TRNC.