“The most correct approach is the two-state solution in Cyprus,” said Omer Celik, spokesperson of Turkey’s ruling AKP party, stating that “as long as the structure of two communities and two sovereign entities is not accepted, no solution will work.”
In an interview with the Turkish television channel Haberturk, Celik spoke of the increased strategic importance of the Mediterranean due to the current war environment.
“With regard to Cyprus, there are the recent natural gas deposits and similar developments. Secondly, there is not even space left for a fishing boat in the Mediterranean, it is full of warships. All states are there. They were before, but now they have increased greatly. The strategic importance of Cyprus and the fundamental issues concerning Cyprus have come to the surface even more. Turkey has an institutionalised policy. Turkish Cypriots will never be left alone. The cause of the Turkish Cypriots is our national cause,” he said.
Referring to Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman, he said: “We respect the will of the Turkish Cypriots. It is a state tradition for the president to make his first visit to Turkey. This continues. With joint action, activities will continue for the promotion of the Turkish Cypriot cause and for increasing the recognition of the TRNC,” as he referred to the breakaway entity.
Celik also expressed Ankara’s concerns regarding the relations of the Republic of Cyprus with Israel. “The fact that the Greek Cypriot side acts in such close alignment with Israel - that is, with a murderous Zionist government - essentially means that it is part of this criminal act against humanity. As with Dendias, here too: they believe they will solve the problem with armaments. On the one hand they say ‘Turkish troops must leave the island’, but at the same time they have turned the entire Greek Cypriot side into an ammunition depot. Do we not see what this means? Turkish troops are the guarantee of peace there. They are the guarantee that the TRNC will live in safety. This has been shown many times,” he claimed.
Celik added that “as long as the structure of two communities and two sovereign entities is not accepted, no solution will work. It has been shown that it does not work. Even if you shape it politically, it has been shown that sociologically it is not possible. The most correct approach is the two-state solution.”
Referring to the statements of Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias that Athens is considering “armament strengthening” on the Aegean islands, Celik claimed that his behaviour is akin to trolling and that his remarks “do not resemble either foreign policy or diplomacy.” He argued that “a game is being played for domestic consumption” aimed, as he said, at his political advancement.
“We knew Dendias from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There was then a ‘troll’ way of operating in the Foreign Ministry. We were saying, ‘Why is he making such irrational statements? What he is doing does not resemble either foreign policy or diplomacy.’ They were telling us: ‘He is playing domestic politics; he wants to become prime minister.’ The Greek press was saying it, people in Europe were saying it. What he is doing is irrational. These things do not harm Turkey, but he is lying to the Greek people and this is unfair to them. Because he has based all his activity on hostility towards Turkey. He has not said even one positive proposal,” Celik said.
Commenting on Dendias’ reference to “missile shielding” of the islands, Celik claimed that “there is a limit that must not be crossed. The islands in principle must be demilitarised. Of course there is whatever needs to be done, but everything has its time. Conflict, war -these are things used by people of low ability. Turkey’s national security is not a matter of negotiation. There is no delay or bargaining on this.”
However, Celik added: “We will not sit and adjust our entire political agenda to respond to the troll style of someone sitting in a ministerial chair. These are things that will raise tensions in the Aegean and the Mediterranean. This is more a problem for Greece than for us. We want to solve any issue at the table. These phenomena exist in Greek politics, with certain figures who have built their careers on this. But in the end we will solve the issues with diplomacy. We will make efforts for mutual steps so that good neighbourly relations with Greece are restored.”
Source: CNA