Erdoğan's Statement on Cyprus: A Long-Standing and Complex Issue

President Erdoğan stated, "There is no UNSC resolution that can justify isolating and ignoring the Turkish Cypriots, who are an ancient and essential element of the island, by reducing the Cyprus issue to the events of 1974. As the Republic of Turkey, our desire is for the removal of these legally unfounded and entirely political restrictions."

The Turkish Presidency's Directorate of Communications published a book titled "Who is to Blame? Today Cannot Be Thought of Separately from the Past" to shed light on the historical background of the Cyprus issue.

A Historical Overview

In the preface of the book, Erdoğan describes the Cyprus issue as a complex phenomenon shaped by ethnic and political tensions, geopolitical interests, and international interventions over time. He highlighted the importance of understanding the island's sociological fabric and documenting its historical background to contribute to a solution.

He noted that the ethnic and political tensions on Cyprus, particularly from the 1960s onward, are fundamental to the current issue. Erdoğan emphasized the critical perspective provided by the injustices and attacks experienced by the Turkish Cypriots throughout history.

Historical Injustices and Turkey's Role

Erdoğan recounted the attacks targeting the Turkish community that began in the 1960s and intensified in 1963, jeopardizing their safety. He stated, "The activities aimed at eradicating the Turkish presence on the island are closely related to Cyprus's strategic position and efforts to establish dominance over the island. These cannot be considered independently. The massacres against the Turkish community, along with the Enosis goal of annexing Cyprus to Greece, became a threat to the existence of the Turkish Cypriots. During this period, the Turkish Cypriots struggled to protect their security and existence."

Erdoğan continued by explaining that the ethnic cleansing plan involving Greek attacks and the Enosis goal made Turkey's intervention in 1974 inevitable. Turkey conducted the Cyprus Peace Operation on July 20, 1974, exercising its guarantor rights to protect the Turkish Cypriots and restore peace on the island. He stressed that viewing the Cyprus issue as beginning on July 20, 1974, ignores the earlier conflicts, particularly those between 1963 and 1974, and the atrocities against the Turkish Cypriots, making it difficult to find genuine and just solutions.

Call for Lifting Political Restrictions

Erdoğan reiterated that there is no UNSC resolution justifying the isolation of Turkish Cypriots based on the events of 1974. He called for the removal of these legally unfounded political restrictions and reiterated his vision of two equal states coexisting on the island. "A sustainable peace climate based on the realities of the island is our goal," Erdoğan added.

He expressed gratitude to those who contributed to the book, which provides an invaluable resource in combating disinformation against Turkey and the TRNC. Erdoğan commemorated the martyrs, veterans, and heroes of the Cyprus Peace Operation on its 50th anniversary.

Historical Documentation and the Book

The book, originally published in French in 1974 by the Directorate General of Press and Broadcasting, has been reissued in Turkish and English by the Directorate of Communications. It aims to counteract efforts to reduce the Cyprus issue to the events of 1974 and ignore the deep-seated suffering and injustices experienced by the Turkish Cypriots.

The book documents the events before and after the Cyprus Peace Operation in detail. It refutes the propaganda by the Greek Cypriot side that blames Turkey for the issue and reveals the true reasons behind Turkey's justified intervention as a guarantor state. The book includes reports from the United Nations, news articles from international media, and eyewitness accounts from the period, offering a comprehensive archive that illuminates the historical context of the ongoing Cyprus issue.