Foreign Minister Nami: “What is needed is cooperation, not diplomatic warfare”
Expressing that the Turkish Cypriot side is not interested in interim solutions and that the aim is to reach a comprehensive settlement, Foreign Minister Özdil Nami called on the Greek Cypriot side to avoid diplomatic warfare. Minister Nami emphasized that instead of diplomatic warfare, what the communities need is cooperation.
In his response to recent speeches made before the Parliamentary General Assembly, Foreign Minister Özdil Nami indicated that the Ministry of Foreign affairs is closely following the developments pertaining to the Cyprus issue and putting the appropriate responses forward.
Minister Nami also referred to the fact that the necessary responses were given to the numerous demands of the Greek Cypriot side, which resulted in a more balanced approach adopted by the Security Council, as well as a balanced report.
Stating that while the Report of the UN Secretary-General mentions the inhuman embargos imposed on the Turkish Cypriots, it is a “great shame” that the Security Council Resolution did not include any mention of it, Minister Nami added that the work of the Ministry is ongoing to remedy this situation.
Minister Nami assessed the visit of the Prime Minister of Greece to South Cyprus as a missed opportunity and stated that Greece should make a positive contribution to the resolution of the Cyprus problem, although such a contribution has yet to be seen.
Stating that the Defence Minister of Greece is continuously making negative statements, Nami criticized his statement that “they will conduct joint military exercises”, underlining that the Defence Minister of Greece is acting like a war monger.
“Joint military exercises have long been suspended. The Greek Cypriot-Greek duo should also refrain from joint exercises” Nami added.
Describing the withdrawal of the Greek Cypriot side from the negotiation table with the issuance of the Navtex as unacceptable, Minister Nami stated “It could be one approach for both sides to suspend their activities. Balance is crucial. If they take a step, the Turkish Cypriot side will take a step. We want the leaders to resume the negotiations. The Turkish Cypriot leader has not left the table. If the Greek Cypriot leader returns to the table without any preconditions, the Turkish Cypriot side will also be there. Our call to the Greek Cypriot leader is to stop placing preconditions, to speak the facts, and to abandon one-sided sovereignty”.
Reiterating that the aim of the Turkish Cypriot side is to reach a comprehensive settlement and the Turkish Cypriot side is not interested in temporary solutions, Minister Nami called upon the Greek Cypriot side to avoid diplomatic warfare on issues such as the Navtex or hellim/halloumi, and emphasized once again that the two communities are in need of cooperation.
Minister Nami emphasised that reaching a settlement will not be possible as long as the Greek Cypriot side does not abandon its dominant stance.
