North Cyprus is willing to cooperate with the Republic of Cyprus, for example to share the government and resources, however, it insists that the Turkish military should remain on the island, Turkish Cypriot President Ersin Tatar told Sputnik
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th September, 2021) North Cyprus is willing to cooperate with the Republic of Cyprus, for example to share the government and resources, however, it insists that the Turkish military should remain on the island, Turkish Cypriot President Ersin Tatar told Sputnik.
"We can discuss how to cooperate. We are willing to cooperate," Tatar stated. "We are willing to share the resources. We are willing to share the government, we are willing to share any petrol, energy, hydrocarbons, water (resources), any kind of activity."
Tatar underscored, however, that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) insisted on maintaining the Turkish military presence on the island as well as the Turkish currency.
"We are prepared to cooperate but we would like the Turkish Currency to continue," he explained. "We would like some Turkish troops to remain on the island for our security because we know in the past that if Turkish troops completely withdraw we are at the mercy exposed to Greek Cypriots attacks and other movements which would want to have the island again."
Tatar noted that the Cyprus problem was more than half a century old and the United Nations was involved in as well as Turkey.
"The international community should always remember that Turkey is a side," he noted. "Cyprus problem is not only between Turkish and Greek Cypriots, it does also involve Turkey because Turkey is a guarantor power and we have a lot of relationship with Turkey. Turkey has saved us from great massacre... The Turkish Cypriots suffered a lot, we were going through genocide twice, a lot of people have been buried, some alive, (including) children."
Tatar added that in the end of the day, any settlement should include Turkish Cypriots, Greek Cypriots, and it should be fare, sustainable, and realistic.
Cyprus, populated by Greek and Turkish Cypriots, has been a stumbling block for Turkey and Greece for almost half a century. The island was de facto divided in 1974, when Turkey deployed armed forces to Cyprus after an attempt to unify Cyprus with Greece. In 1983, the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was formed, recognized solely by Turkey.
Currently, the negotiations between Turkey, Greece and the United Kingdom under the guidance of the United Nations are periodically held to decide whether Cyprus will be a bizonal, bicommunal federation or a two-state island.
