Foreign MinisterTahsin Ertuğruloğlu slams UN over Pile work

Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu held a press conference on the Yiğitler-Pile Road Project.

At the beginning of the press conference, Foreign Minister Ertuğruloğlu gave the floor to the Turkish Mukhtar of Pile, Veysal Güden, and Beyarmudu Mayor, Bülent Bebek, who gave information about the project.

Following this, Minister of Foreign Affairs Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu stated that no assessment could be made regarding the Yiğitler-Pile Road Project as if the UN or the Greek Cypriot side were doing a favour to the Turkish Cypriot side that would require something in return.

Ertuğruloğlu pointed out that for 30 years the Greek Cypriot side has been violating the Buffer Zone by building infrastructure, roads, a university and a stadium supposing pretending that it is their own territory.

“Without reaching an agreement with us and obtaining our approval, parcelling work was started which portends infringement on our road route. We emphasise that the Greek Cypriots should immediately cease the work on the lands used by the Turkish Cypriots and remove their vehicles and equipment from the area,” Ertuğruloğlu added.

He also said that the UN has created an environment which threatens peace and is doing this “out-of-spite”.

The Minister stated that the Yiğitler-Pile Road Project had been submitted to the UN in 1997, yet the UN did not authorise it on the grounds that it would “pass through the Buffer Zone”, adding that the Greek Cypriot side’s activities in the Buffer Zone have been allowed for years and accused the UN of being “pro-Greek”.

Ertuğruloğlu explained that the Yiğitler-Pile Road Project had been brought to the agenda due to the recent difficulties faced by the Turkish Cypriot residents of Pile.

Stating that they had many meetings with the Special Representative of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General and Head of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), Colin Stewart, Ertuğruloğlu noted that he informed Stewart that the Turkish Cypriot side would start road construction during their meeting on 17 August.

Noting that the road construction started on that day, Ertuğruloğlu indicated that UN soldiers physically attacked people within the TRNC territory on 18 August.

As to what Colin Stewart had said on the Green Line Regulation on 25 August, Ertuğruloğlu said that the Buffer Zone is not under Greek Cypriot control and, therefore, this is not a matter related to the Green Line Regulation. It appeared that the EU had falsely included the entire Buffer Zone within the territory of the so-called “Republic of Cyprus”, of which neither we nor Türkiye were aware. We have not in any way relinquished our rights over the buffer zone,” said the Foreign Minister.

The Minister concluded by saying that the Greek Cypriot land parcelling activities continue despite all representations made to the UN. Warning that there would be a crisis in the region if these works do not stop, Ertuğruloğlu said, “The TRNC has the right to reconsider its relations with the UN, which excludes the Turkish Cypriot side in such a blatant way, in particular the Turkish Cypriot residents and Mukhtar of Pile.”