Ertuğruloğlu: Irfan Siddiq Should Keep His Mind, Advice, and Opinions to Himself

Ertuğruloğlu said, "Irfan Siddiq has made it a habit to put forward views on the Cyprus issue that are beyond his place," adding, "With his latest statement, Siddiq demonstrates how wrong his knowledge, intentions, and vision are by claiming that 'Turkish Cypriots are seeking encouragement to return to the negotiating table' and 'there is a willingness on the Greek Cypriot side to return to the negotiating table,' and proving that he is not someone to be taken seriously."

Stating that Siddiq once again demonstrated his efforts to distort the facts about Cyprus, Ertuğruloğlu said, "Despite sharing our vision on the Cyprus issue with the Ambassador several times, it is impudence for him to express his belief that there is 'flexibility' on the part of the Turkish Cypriot side and thus claim to know our country's arguments and policies better than we do."

"This approach aimed at imposing Siddiq's views on the Cyprus issue also reminds us of the former British colonial mentality and is unacceptable. It is worth reminding that regardless of the Ambassador's views and attempts to change the agenda, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is the sovereign State of the Turkish Cypriot People and will remain so. Siddiq should keep his mind, advice, and opinions to himself; we have no need for any of these," Ertuğruloğlu added.

"The resumption of negotiations based on the 'federation' formula is never possible. Our view on this issue will be clearly explained to Mr. Holguin.

Ertuğruloğlu also commented on the first visit of the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative Maria Angela Holguin to the island.

Stating that Holguin officially started her duty by holding talks with both sides on January 30, Ertuğruloğlu recalled that the Turkish side consented to her appointment, provided that she would work within a period of no more than six months to find common ground for starting a new negotiation process between the two sides on the island.

Within this framework, Ertuğruloğlu said, "In light of the new vision presented by the Turkish side to overcome the deadlock on the Cyprus issue, which supports the confirmation of the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot side followed by the two States on the island entering into a new cooperation model within the framework of good neighborly relations, it will be conveyed to the Special Representative on every occasion."

Emphasizing the importance of Holguin meeting with representatives from all sides with different views on the Cyprus issue, Ertuğruloğlu pointed out that it was not possible for the Colombian diplomat to draw conclusions or see the overall picture by only listening to one side's views.

"It is necessary to emphasize once again that it is never possible to return to a negotiation process based on the 'federation' model, which we declared as 'exhausted' with the collapse of the negotiation process in Crans-Montana in 2017. The Turkish Cypriot side has withdrawn its consent from the federation model. Our view on this issue will be clearly explained to Ms. Holguin," he stressed.

"The UN Security Council has become the protector of the status quo and the inequality between the parties."

Ertuğruloğlu once again criticized the recent UN Security Council decision to extend the term of the UN Peacekeeping Force on the island for another year.

Emphasizing that they do not accept the Security Council decision, which does not require the consent of the Turkish Cypriot side as in previous years, Ertuğruloğlu said, "The UN Security Council, which continues to ignore the fact that there are two separate sovereign equal States on the island, has become the protector of the status quo and the inequality between the parties."

Ertuğruloğlu concluded his remarks as follows:

"Any development on the Cyprus issue depends on the acceptance of the realities on the island and the new vision of the Turkish side. If the international community sincerely desires to create a cooperation environment in Cyprus based on good neighborly relations, it is long overdue for them to understand that this can only be achieved on the basis of the sovereign equality and equal international status of the two existing States on the island."

Source: TAK