Tatar: Peace Operation is Our Independence and Freedom

Emphasizing that not only land but also the sea is homeland, Tatar stated, "Therefore, we have a concept called Blue Homeland. There is a Blue Homeland in the Eastern Mediterranean."

Describing the 1974 Peace Operation as a historic step, Tatar remarked, "Without the operation, Turkish presence in Cyprus could have vanished. In the past, there were many attacks on Turkish Cypriots, and we lost many people."

"No One Has Been Harmed Since July 20"

President Tatar pointed out that Turkey's decision to undertake the Peace Operation brought peace to Cyprus on July 20, stating, "Since then, not a single person has been harmed, and conflicts between the two communities have ceased."

Tatar criticized efforts by Greek Cypriots to pull Turkish Cypriots into a federal agreement, emphasizing that a single sovereignty in a federal structure would leave the status of Turkish Cypriots in the North uncertain. "Therefore, the two-state policy is the most correct policy," he asserted.

"No Need to Unite the Two Peoples Now"

Stressing that the July 20 Peace Operation is the foundation of independence and freedom for Turkish Cypriots, President Tatar added, "The Turkish army, in their barracks, does not disturb anyone. However, the Greek side keeps bringing this up because they want to unite Cyprus with Greece. They keep stirring this issue."

Tatar argued that there is no need to unite the two peoples at this point, as the existing hostility and hatred could lead to different outcomes if the communities were brought together. "If the Turkish military withdraws from the island, a security issue will arise. The Greeks are spending 350-400 million Euros annually on armament and continue to do so," he concluded.