‘APOLOGISE’ – Cyprus Today Online

TRNC Overseas Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu says British Excessive Commissioner Irfan Siddiq ought to apologize over remarks.

EXCLUSIVE 

By ELTAN HALIL

THE British Excessive Commissioner to South Cyprus, Irfan Siddiq, ought to apologise to the Turkish Cypriot individuals for feedback he made at a public assembly in Çatalköy on June 27, Overseas Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu has mentioned.

Throughout the gathering with round 100 British residents on the Olive Tree Resort, Mr Siddiq prompted uproar when he described the second section of Türkiye’s 1974 Peace Operation as a “land seize” whereas additionally likening it to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

He additionally accused the TRNC authorities of attempting to “trigger ache for anybody who will not be adhering to or accepting their world view” that the TRNC ought to be recognised as a separate state, by making issues “more durable” for the British authorities on the island by way of cooperation, comparable to on the problem of kids taken from the UK to North Cyprus who’re “doubtlessly in danger”.

Mr Siddiq additionally tried to cease Cyprus At the moment from reporting what he had mentioned on the public assembly, claiming that he had been talking “off the report” and warned this newspaper of “penalties” if we did.

In an interview with Cyprus At the moment previous to the general public assembly, Mr Siddiq additionally spoke on the problem of flights between the UK and North Cyprus.

He had mentioned that direct flights couldn’t happen with out the approval of the Greek Cypriot aspect, and that the earlier years-long follow of passengers being allowed to attend on the airplane through the “landing” section of the journey in Türkiye, which was resulted in 2017, had been an “oversight” and “wasn’t really associated” to safety points at Ercan airport.

Responding to Mr Siddiq’s feedback throughout an unique interview with Cyprus At the moment at his workplace on the Overseas Ministry earlier this week, Mr Ertuğruloğlu mentioned it’s a “mistake” to deal with “somebody who’s a Excessive Commissioner on the Greek Cypriot aspect, as if he’s a Excessive Commissioner within the Turkish Republic or Northern Cyprus as nicely”. 

“The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will not be a member nation of the Commonwealth, and, as such, the British ambassador to South Cyprus could be labelled because the British Excessive Commissioner, however solely in South Cyprus,” he mentioned.

“To us, he’s only a British diplomat. Sadly, having learn his remarks to members of the British [community] of North Cyprus, we’re very upset, very upset. 

“And in reality, we really feel insulted by the British diplomat in query. His remarks had been completely unbecoming of a diplomat, particularly a diplomat representing one of many three guarantor international locations of the 1960 republic.

“A diplomat from a rustic that is aware of extra in regards to the particulars of the Cyprus downside than anybody else. And, maybe in a way, a diplomat from a rustic which instigated the Cyprus downside.”

Mr Siddiq is “both completely unaware of the realities of the island of Cyprus or he’s merely attempting to be a spokesman, a consultant, of the Greek Cypriot group,” Mr Ertuğruloğlu said.

“I can not label his remarks in every other manner,” he mentioned. “As a result of they’re completely towards the historic realities of the island. They’re completely towards what the Cyprus downside is all about.

“And Mr Siddiq believes, apparently, that the Turkish Cypriot individuals shouldn’t query the essence of the Cyprus downside, however merely settle for the error that the UK and the remainder of the worldwide group has made, settle for their mistake and attempt to safe bits and items of rights legitimising the error of the UK and the remainder of the worldwide group, led by the UK.

“To start with, the Republic of Cyprus, as established in 1960, was a sue generis [Latin for of its own kind, unique] republic. 

“The constitutionality and the legitimacy of the Republic of Cyprus was primarily based on the continuation of the partnership between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots on the premise of political equality, and neither of the co-founding companions was to have the fitting to oust the opposite associate and declare on their very own to be the Republic of Cyprus. But, that’s precisely what occurred. 

“The Greek Cypriots, by drive of arms, rejected the Turkish Cypriots from all state and governmental equipment, monopolised the entire system and turned it right into a purely Greek Cypriot state. 

“And, whereas the agreements prevented the popularity of such an entity as if it was the legit successor of the Republic of Cyprus, from day one the Greek Cypriots, led by the UK, had been allowed to masquerade around the globe as in the event that they had been the Republic of Cyprus and as such loved the privileges of that recognition, introduced the Turkish Cypriots as if we’re a secessionist ethnic minority of the so-called Republic of Cyprus, and utilizing the benefits of this recognition they’ve been allowed to impose all kinds of embargoes and restrictions on the Turkish Cypriot individuals.”

Referring to feedback by Mr Siddiq made throughout his public assembly with British residents that there are “competing narratives” on the island and a “contested historical past”, Mr Ertuğruloğlu responded by saying: “He has the audacity to say there are comparable complaints on either side of the island, as to the historical past of the Cyprus downside, as if the Greek Cypriots are simply as entitled to complain in regards to the historical past, and likewise the Turkish Cypriots, so . . . what he’s principally saying is that if either side are complaining then the worldwide group is doing one thing proper. 

“Mr Siddiq prefers to miss the benefits they’ve given to the Greek Cypriots internationally, permitting them to sit down within the UN Basic Meeting as if they’re the Republic of Cyprus, and on the similar time are turning to the Turkish Cypriots and saying ‘negotiate with the Greek Cypriots to resolve the Cyprus downside’, completely ignoring what the primary Cyprus downside is all about. 

“The Cyprus downside is the popularity of the Greek Cypriots as if they’re the Republic of Cyprus of 1960. That is the Cyprus downside.”

‘GRATEFUL TO AUDIENCE’ 

Requested to touch upon Mr Siddiq’s feedback throughout his speech on the public assembly that the primary section of the Turkish Cyprus Peace Operation, on July 20, 1974, was “arguably legit” whereas the second section in August 1974 was a “land seize”, and the robust response to the latter comment from some members of the viewers, Mr Ertuğruloğlu mentioned:  “I’m grateful to the viewers for having reacted to this. So Mr Siddiq, principally is saying the primary section was acceptable, was crucial. Now, I don’t know if he’s conscious that that piece of [the] assertion upsets the Greek Cypriots.

“I fail to notice how anybody considers the primary section legit and considers the second section as [an] occupation. If the British had been so delicate about what was taking place on the island, again in 1963-1974, then why did the British authorities reject Türkiye’s supply for joint intervention?

“The Treaty of Assure gave the fitting to guarantor international locations to behave both collectively or unilaterally if the state of affairs as created by the 1960 agreements had been threatened, had been modified. 

“And as you could recall, Nicos Sampson, a well-known assassin of Turks, on the finish of the [July 1974] coup declared Enosis, declared union of the island with Greece. 

“And he was a puppet positioned because the president of the so-called Republic of Cyprus, and he overtly mentioned that Enosis had been achieved. 

“Now, what occurred within the first section of the Turkish intervention? Turkish troopers got here to the island. We had a bridge-head west of Girne and a hall from Girne to Lefkoşa. East and west of this hall had been Greek Cypriot troopers and mainland Greek troopers.

“What was anticipated of the Turkish military to do? To sit down like geese and look forward to the Greek Cypriots and Greek troopers to assault them, east and west?

“The second section of the Peace Operation was simply as crucial, each politically and militarily, as the primary section of the Peace Operation.

“The primary section, with out the second section, is completely meaningless. The primary section, with out the second section, was not going to attain the outcome that the Peace Operation did obtain. 

“As a result of the Peace Operation – everybody ought to realise – was the final and closing step to stop the island from being a Hellenic island, from being united with Greece.

“The Peace Operation . . . put an finish, for good, to any hope that the Greek Cypriots could have had for union with Greece as the entire island. 

“So whether or not Irfan Siddiq is conscious of those historic particulars or not, to me, it’s completely irrelevant. He isn’t somebody I want to take critically. He’s a disappointment to British diplomacy. He isn’t match to serve on this island, being so biased, so prepared and keen to misrepresent the realities.

“The British are well-known for his or her masterhood of diplomacy, but I imagine Siddiq is an exception. “He’s undoubtedly unfit of being a diplomat of the UK, he isn’t match to serve on the island of Cyprus both. He ought to shut up and start thinking about to apologise to the Turkish Cypriot individuals.

“With out an apology to the Turkish Cypriot individuals there isn’t a manner I’ll take him critically in any manner in any way.”

‘SHAMEFUL STANCE’ 

Referring to Mr Siddiq’s different feedback as reported by Cyprus At the moment, Mr Ertuğruloğlu continued: “There are such a lot of factors, so many particulars in what he mentioned that may be challenged that one wants to write down a ebook difficult each shameful stance he has taken towards the Turkish Cypriot individuals. . . He has additionally accused us of attempting to trigger ‘ache’ to the UK. . .

“Somebody representing a rustic which is in reality inflicting ‘ache’ to Turkish Cypriot individuals, their [High Commissioner] accusing us of inflicting ache on them. 

“He isn’t conscious he’s inflicting ache on his personal residents who dwell within the TRNC. These are British residents, they’re aged individuals, they journey ceaselessly residence and again and the inconvenience they must undergo, not to mention the Turkish Cypriots, he’s keen to permit his personal residents, as nicely, to undergo these inconveniences simply in order that the Greek Cypriots should not upset.

“If the UK had been to dwell as much as its tasks to the Turkish Cypriot individuals, the Greek Cypriots will elevate hell.”

Recalling what number of years in the past he as soon as advised the UK’s former particular consultant to Cyprus, David Hannay, that the UK was not appearing pretty in direction of Turkish Cypriots, to which Hannay mentioned “who advised you there’s something referred to as equity in worldwide politics”, the Overseas Minister continued: “That’s precisely what we’re experiencing. There isn’t any equity; that we all know. “What we can not admire is for the tables to be rotated and for the people who find themselves discriminating towards us turning round and accusing us of misbehaviour, accusing us of an absence of legitimacy, accusing us of an absence of statehood of their view. 

“So sadly, the encounter that the British diplomat had with the British Residents Society members is a very shameful encounter. 

“I perceive he additionally tried to threaten the journalist who was on the assembly to not write something about what he had mentioned [at the public meeting], in any other case, if he did, then there could be penalties. 

“So this particular person will not be even a diplomat. A diplomat ought to know the that means of each phrase they utter. 

“A diplomat is aware of when to talk off the report and when to talk on the report. A diplomat can not communicate on the report to an viewers after which flip round and ask a journalist to not print something as a result of he was talking off the report.

“That is completely unbecoming of a diplomat. That’s the reason I say once more he ought to think about shutting up and apologising to the Turkish Cypriot individuals. He isn’t match to serve on the island of Cyprus.

“If there’s every other challenge he’s extra conscious of around the globe, then maybe London ought to ship him there, however undoubtedly not preserve him right here.”

TRNC ‘NO SAFE HAVEN FOR CRIMINALS’

On the accusation by Mr Siddiq that the TRNC authorities are intentionally not sharing sufficient data with the British Excessive Fee on the subject of British kids in North Cyprus who may very well be “in danger”, Mr Ertuğruloğlu mentioned: “He ought to be conscious that TRNC officers should not curious about turning the TRNC right into a protected haven for criminals.

“What he’s saying, principally, is accusing us of turning the TRNC right into a protected haven for criminals.

“I reject that outright, it’s a shameful assertion, once more, simply as all the opposite issues he mentioned, that is additionally one thing he ought to apologise about to the Turkish Cypriot individuals.

“The recommendation we get from our authorized authorities is that there’s a sure regulation, privateness of the person life, respect for the person’s non-public life. 

“So, other than telling anybody precisely the place the alleged persons are staying within the TRNC, we’re keen to clarify to whoever is questioning about what has occurred, in regards to the wellbeing of the people in query, however we can not, by regulation, give out data we’re not supposed to present out, due to that regulation that claims respect for people’ non-public life. 

“This isn’t one thing that’s troublesome to understand. We cooperate with the British authorities, for instance on every other prison exercise, vehicles which are stolen and introduced right here, any particular person, British or Turkish Cypriot, that’s concerned in against the law again within the UK and is right here, we cooperate with the British officers, we undergo courtroom instances right here, we extradite the criminals again to the UK.

“So in brief . . . we’re not curious about turning the TRNC, our nation which we’re happy with, right into a protected haven for criminals.

“We do our greatest to stop criminals attempting to impose that picture on the nation. 

“So I reject every part that Irfan Siddiq has mentioned, not nearly this case, however every part else. The whole lot else he has mentioned is one thing he ought to be ashamed of. He’s merely demonstrating his ignorance or his bias.”

POSSIBILITY OF JOINT STATE ‘LESS THAN NIL’

The TRNC’s Overseas Minister additionally spoke in regards to the prospects of any answer in Cyprus, and defined the present coverage of in search of recognition of the TRNC.

“The opportunity of a joint state with the Greek Cypriots is lower than nil,” he mentioned. 

“We tried a standard state in 1960, we had been fairly proud of that, the Greek Cypriots weren’t, they destroyed it. You gave all the benefits to the aggressor, Mr Siddiq, your nation did, and continues to take action.

“As long as the worldwide group, once more led by the UK . . . continues to faux as if there’s a legit Republic of Cyprus with its legit authorities, there isn’t a manner that the Turkish Cypriot individuals will ever settle for the Greek Cypriots as if they’re the Republic of Cyprus. 

“There isn’t any manner that any negotiations, even when they had been to happen, will produce a mutually acceptable settlement. 

“There isn’t any manner {that a} frequent state of Cyprus will ever be established. The fact will proceed to be one island, two states, until eternity.

“Cyprus will not be a state. Cyprus is the identify of an island and this island has two states, whether or not Irfan Siddiq recognises it or not, it’s lower than him to recognise us or not.

“An important nation for us, the Republic of Türkiye, our motherland, recognises the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Republic of Turkiye doesn’t recognise the Greek Cypriot state calling itself the ‘Republic of Cyprus’.”

In response to Mr Siddiq stating in his interview with Cyprus At the moment that he stills sees a possibility for “one closing push” for a federal answer in Cyprus, Mr Ertuğruloğlu mentioned the chance of such a settlement ended following the collapse of marathon talks within the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana in the summertime of 2017. “There isn’t any chance of negotiations for a federation anymore. That story ended again in 2017 in Crans-Montana. 

“Greek Cypriots should not ready to just accept it, and Greek Cypriot supporters, led by Mr Siddiq, are attempting to assist the Greek Cypriots in that endeavour. . . No negotiations as long as the sovereign equality of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the equal worldwide standing should not formally recognised. . . There isn’t any manner the Greek Cypriots will settle for the sovereign equality and equal worldwide standing of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as long as the worldwide group treats them as if they’re the Republic of Cyprus. 

“So why ought to they settle for Turkish Cypriot sovereign equality? And likewise, there isn’t a manner we are going to settle for something lower than sovereign equality and equal worldwide standing.

“So we’re at a degree the place either side are at level zero. Neither aspect can take a step again. The Greek Cypriots can’t afford to take a step again as long as they’re recognised because the Republic of Cyprus. 

“We’re not going to take a step again as long as we’re not recognised as a sovereign equal state. So, who can, of their proper thoughts, anticipate negotiations as if nothing occurred in Crans Montana. 

“The negotiations collapsed in Crans-Montana. The negotiations weren’t dropped briefly in Crans-Montana in order that sooner or later we are going to decide up from the place we left off. . . The chance of them being resumed is lower than nil, unimaginable. 

“So each the Greek Cypriots and Mr Siddiq higher realise this actuality. They’re on no account able to making Turkish Cypriots a subservient group of a Greek Cypriot state and current it to the remainder of the world because the settlement of the Cyprus downside, which is strictly what they’re attempting to do. . . Recognition [of the TRNC] is the one manner out of the Cyprus battle.

“With out recognition, there isn’t a manner negotiations can happen. There isn’t any manner a mutually acceptable future set-up of the island of Cyprus as two neighbouring states could be realised.”

UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS ‘NOT BINDING’

On the problem of United Nations Safety Council resolutions concerning Cyprus, Mr Ertuğruloğlu mentioned: “Folks preserve speaking about UN Safety Council resolutions in Cyprus as if they’re those which are going to indicate the way in which to the settlement of the Cyprus downside, when in reality the UN Safety Council resolutions themselves are the issue of Cyprus.

“UN Safety Council resolutions on Cyprus should not binding resolutions, they’re advisory resolutions.

“Nations have the fitting to selected whether or not they settle for the decision or don’t settle for it, whether or not they’re binding to it or opposing it. 

“And the proper instance is the Republic of Türkiye [which] will not be in conformity with the UN Safety Council resolutions [on Cyprus], but you don’t hear of the United Nations taking measures and punishing the Republic of Türkiye for not being in compliance with the UN Secuirty Council resolutions. . . The worldwide group has made an enormous mistake on the island of Cyprus. It continues to make an enormous mistake, anticipating us to bow to this error, however we’re much more decided to combat this error. 

“Now we have by no means been a minority of a Greek Cypriot state. The island of Cyprus has two states, two sovereign peoples, two sovereign equal states and the longer term shall be two sovereign equal states dwelling aspect by aspect, hopefully in good neighbourly relations.

“And Mr Siddiq ought to go and attempt to appease Greek Cypriots elsewhere, not on the island of Cyprus.”

UK A ‘PRISONER OF ITS BASES’

Mr Ertuğruloğlu additionally mentioned the UK is a “prisoner of its personal Sovereign Base Areas” which it has within the southern a part of Cyprus. 

“These Sovereign Base Areas are so vital for the pursuits of the UK [and] for the US of America, that so as to not endanger the way forward for these Sovereign Base Areas, the UK can not afford to upset the Greek Cypriots in order that Greek Cypriots begin a motion in South Cyprus demanding ‘British bases out of Cyprus’,” he mentioned. 

“Not that the British will abandon the bases. But when there was such an exercise in South Cyprus saying ‘British bases out’, clearly this shall be a headache for the UK. 

“And the British see no motive why they need to go, why they need to have this headache for the sake of the Turkish Cypriots. 

“So they like to harm and to punish the Turkish Cypriots with a purpose to pursue the pursuits of the UK on the expense of Turkish Cypriots.”

NEW ERCAN ‘HUNDRED TIMES BETTER’ THAN LARNACA

On the brand new Ercan airport, which is anticipated to open on July 20, and the problem of the shortage of direct flights and disembarkation in Türkiye for added safety screening, the minister had this to say: “There may be an airport at Ercan now, which is 100 occasions higher, safer, extra technical, extra trendy, extra updated, than the Greek Cypriot airport in Larnaca.

“And Irfan Siddiq has the audacity to say it doesn’t matter if there’s such an airport within the North, passengers travelling from Ercan to [the UK] should disembark in Türkiye earlier than they go on to the UK. 

“Why? Don’t discuss to me in regards to the Geneva Conference, the Chicago Conference. What about Taiwan? What occurs to all these conventions with regards to Taiwan? 

“There’s a systematic discrimination and intentional discrimination towards the Turkish Cypriot individuals, not simply by Mr Siddiq, however by the worldwide group.”

This story initially appeared within the print model of Cyprus At the moment dated July 8, 2023