Statement of the TRNC Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr. Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu, regarding the statements made by the spokespersons of the European Union Commission 

The statements made by the spokespersons of the European Union Commission in the last two days show that the European Union has no other purpose than to continue its unconditional support to the Greek Cypriot Administration, which it has made a member by violating its own principles.

It is clearly understood from this wrong policy of the European Union that it prefers to preserve the status quo that serves the Greek Cypriot Administration instead of participating constructively in the efforts to reach an acceptable and realistic agreement on the Island.

It is significant that the statement made by the Spokesperson of the European Union Commission regarding the meeting of the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Mr. Ersin Tatar, with the President of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, overlaps with the relevant statements of the Greek Cypriot Administration. As the European Union continues its insistence of seeing our President as a “community leader”, it also shows that it does not see the Turkish Cypriot people on par with the Greek people. Hence it is clear that, the European Union, by not acting in accordance with the values claimed it has been founded on, does not hesitate to violate the most basic human rights of the Turkish Cypriot people at the request of the Greek Cypriot Administration.

The European Union has made a habit of using their so-called financial aid as a blackmail against the Turkish Cypriot people. The European Union has no intention of making a sincere contribution to the socio-economic development of the Turkish Cypriot people. The sole purpose of this so-called aid, which does not even have a symbolic significance when compared with the aid provided by Motherland Turkey for the socio-economic development of our country, is to support the “confidence building measures” and to impose the federation model on our People, which is a part of the past for the Turkish Cypriot people.

The failed and exhausted federation model is no longer a common ground. The parties need a realistic basis. The only realistic ground is the full acknowledgement of the existence of two sovereign equal States living next to each other in good neighbourly relations on the Island.