The TRNC Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said that the existence of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was an undeniable fact and that it was the only state that represents the Turkish Cypriot people, who are co-owners of the island.

The foreign ministry was responding to an earlier statement issued by the Greek Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement.

The TRNC Foreign Ministry on Tuesday responded to the military exercise carried out jointly by the Greek Cypriot administration and Israel.

“Our views regarding the military exercise, named “Agapinor 2022”, organized by the Greek Cypriot administration and Israel, were shared with the public and subsequently the Spokesperson for the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a statement supporting our position. The Greek Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a presumptuous statement regarding the said issue, which targets Türkiye” the foreign Ministry statement said.

It pointed out that the Greek Cypriot side did not have the right to speak on behalf of the Turkish Cypriot People.

“It even goes as far as commenting on behalf of the Turkish Cypriot People regarding the relations between our state and Türkiye. The statement of the Greek Cypriot side, a product of an anachronistic mentality, overlooks the fact that the firm relations between Motherland Türkiye and the TRNC cannot be harmed” the statement stressed.

“The placement of hundreds of heavy weapon firing positions along the border, organising firing exercises for the priests of the Greek Cypriot Orthodox Church, procuring radar systems, conducting military exercises with many countries, signing bilateral military cooperation agreements and engaging in unilateral activities in violation of the rights of the Turkish Cypriot People in the Eastern Mediterranean are few examples of the Greek Cypriot actions that reveal its insincerity” the statement noted.

The foreign minister also pointed out that the Greek Cypriot side’s insincerity had been tested during the 2004 referenda and that the only purpose of the Greek Cypriot side’s rejection of all proposals for an agreement was to force the Turkish Cypriot People to live under isolation.

“The Greek Cypriot side is ignoring the views of the Turkish Cypriot People and even their existence. Its efforts to portray that its only counterpart on the Cyprus issue is Türkiye, are doomed to fail. It is an undeniable fact that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus exists, has full sovereignty over its territory and is the only state that represents the Turkish Cypriot People, as one of the co-owners of the island” the statement concluded.