UPDATE - Turkish Cypriot president pledges close cooperation with Türkiye on Cyprus settlement
- Erhurman says international integration of Turkish Cypriots and efforts to resolve island's dispute are mutually reinforcing
Yükleniyor…
Yükleniyor…
- Erhurman says international integration of Turkish Cypriots and efforts to resolve island's dispute are mutually reinforcing
ADDS MORE REMARKS BY TRNC PRESIDENT
By Gokhan Celiker and Zehra Nur Celik
ANKARA (AA) - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Tufan Erhurman pledged Friday to continue working closely with Türkiye toward a lasting settlement on the island.
"We'll continue working for a just and lasting solution on the island in close consultation and cooperation with Türkiye," Erhurman said at the 13th Heads of State Summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Ankara.
He said the fundamental aim of the TRNC's efforts was to "strengthen peace, stability, and cooperation" on the island and throughout the region.
Erhurman emphasized that integrating Turkish Cypriots with the international community and pursuing a settlement were mutually reinforcing processes.
He also expressed hope that the Eastern Mediterranean would become a region characterized by mutual respect, inclusive cooperation and shared prosperity rather than tensions and exclusionary policies.
“We are ready to act with the aim of serving as an economic, scientific and cultural bridge between the Turkic world and the Eastern Mediterranean,” he said.
“The foundation of all our efforts is to strengthen peace, stability, and cooperation on the island of Cyprus and across our region,” Erhurman noted.
- Turkish Cypriot people face unjust isolation
Erhurman said the Turkish Cypriot people had long faced unjust isolation that restricted their direct engagement with the international community, economic, and social initiatives, and integration with the rest of the world.
“The Turkish Cypriot people have repeatedly demonstrated their desire to integrate with the world and achieve a just and lasting solution on the island, through the commitment to a settlement they showed in 2004 and their constructive stance in subsequent negotiation processes,” he said.
Despite this, Erhurman said, they had witnessed attempts to prevent young people from participating in international sporting competitions, cultural events from being held in the TRNC, and the people from establishing direct contact with the rest of the world.
“Such initiatives also undermine efforts to build mutual trust on the island and create an environment conducive to a settlement,” he warned.
“There is a strong political and legal basis for developing contacts, dialogue, and cooperation with the Turkish Cypriot people in all areas, and this basis has also been reaffirmed and supported by the UN and the EU,” Erhurman added.
Zehra Nur Çelik