Regarding the statement made by the United Nations Security Council on Cyprus

United Nations Security Council issued an unfortunate statement following the presentation of Mr. Colin Stewart, Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) to the Security Council regarding the two periodical reports of the United Nations Secretary General on the United Nations operation in Cyprus and on his Mission of Good Offices.

It is obvious that this statement is released by the Security Council, together with the support of the Permanent Members of the Security Council who do not refrain from openly supporting the Greek Cypriot side, with an aim to appease the Greek Cypriot side. Security Council, which serves the Greek Cypriot interests, issued a statement containing imposition of one side’s views over the other, in contradiction with the principle of impartiality, we deem as totally unacceptable.

Said statement contains a call to the sides to restart formal negotiations on a tried and failed basis in order to reach an agreement on the Cyprus issue.

Greek Cypriot side which benefits from the continuation of the status quo on the island, has in fact, no intention to work towards reaching an agreement. Greek Cypriot side rejected every opportunity outright for the past 50 years and now it is only paying a lip service to the tried and failed formula in order to deceive the world by using United Nations Security Council to achieve its aim. The only purpose of the Greek Cypriot side is to play for time with such instruments as appointment of an envoy in order to prevent the Turkish Cypriot people from becoming part of the international community.

Turkish Cypriot people who are forced to live under isolation due to the status quo, have taken their place in the previous negotiations and demonstrated the necessary good will and effort towards reaching an agreement. Therefore, no one has the right to impose the tried and failed formula on the Turkish Cypriot people who have already proven their good will. The only way for the Turkish Cypriot people to be part of the international community is through recognition of its inherent rights. It is only natural to ask for the acknowledgement of sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in line with our inherent rights. It is our expectation that those circles who assume that we will surrender to impositions study the history of the Turkish Cypriot people’s struggle and acknowledge our inherent rights.

In this vein, we reiterate our disappointment from the unfortunate statement and underline our expectation from the United Nations to acknowledge the realities on the ground with no further delay.