Joint Statement from 33 Organizations: Two-State Policy Does Not Reflect Our Views or Will

At the press conference, representatives from the Peace Association, KTÖS, Cyprus Turkish Public Servants' Union (KTAMS), Cooperative Officers’ Union (KOOP-SEN), Eastern Mediterranean University Academic Staff Union (DAÜ-SEN), Municipal Workers Union (BES), Cyprus Turkish Doctors' Union (TIP-İŞ), Cyprus Turkish Electricity Corporation Workers' Union (EL-SEN), Air Traffic Controllers' Union (HTKS), Cyprus Turkish Public Officials’ Union (GÜÇ-SEN), Federation of Cyprus Turkish Workers' Unions (TÜRK-SEN), Cyprus Turkish Public Workers’ Union (KES), Teachers' Cooperative, Military Civil Services Union (AS-SEN), Revolutionary Workers Union Federation (DEV-İŞ), Laborers' Union (EMEK-İŞ), General Workers' Union (GENEL-İŞ), Rights Workers' Union (HAK-SEN), Cyprus Turkish Engineers and Architects Association (KTMMOB), Cyprus Turkish Medical Association (KTTB), Cyprus Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen Chamber (KTEZO), Independence Path, United Cyprus Party (BKP), Republican Turkish Party (CTP), Communal Democracy Party (TDP), New Cyprus Party (YKP), Baraka Cultural Center, Cyprus Turkish Biologists’ Association, Kyrenia Thought Association, Left Movement, Green Peace Movement, Iskele Citizens Initiative, and Famagusta Initiative were represented.

A Need to Share Views

Burak Maviş, General Secretary of KTÖS, opened the press conference by stating that the Cyprus Turkish community has suffered the most from the Cyprus issue. Maviş noted that the organizations came together on a common ground to express their shared views and emphasize the importance of representing the Turkish Cypriot community in ongoing processes in New York.

Following his remarks, Ahmet Derya of the Peace Association read the joint statement, which underlined the importance of the federal solution for the island and rejected the two-state policy as neither realistic nor in line with the will of the Turkish Cypriot people.

A Series of Peace Events

The statement also highlighted a series of peace events organized by these groups, some of which have already taken place, with more planned for this and the following week. The events aim to make the federal solution visible and support the UN Secretary-General's efforts to resume negotiations.

Referring to the stalled talks since Crans Montana and the complete breakdown after 2020, the statement underscored that a federal solution, as stipulated in UN resolutions and previous agreements, is the only realistic and rational path forward for the Turkish Cypriots.

The organizations declared, "The two-state policy being put forward in our name is neither our view nor our will. We fully support the UN Secretary-General's efforts for a federal solution and declare this with firm conviction."