LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has celebrated its 31st anniversary on Saturday.
Turkish Cypriot President Dervis Eroglu said that this day was one of the happiest in the republic’s history, in a speech during celebrations in the capital Lefkosa.
“Establishing a state was an investment in the future of Turks and the most valuable legacy to leave for future generations,” said President Eroglu.
He also stated that the Greek Cypriots' main reason to suspend negotiations was hydrocarbon resources.
The Greek Cypriot administration suspended talks in October in retaliation for Turkey’s warship mission to monitor oil-and-gas exploration activity off the Cyprus coast.
Turkey and the government of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus have strongly opposed any unilateral move by the Greek Cypriot administration to explore any hydrocarbon resources around the island, saying that its natural resources should be exploited in a fair manner under a united Cyprus.
"It is naturally not possible to let Greek Cypriot side to act like it is the only owner of the island," Turkey's deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc, in a speech in Lefkosa, reiterating TRNC's rights over natural resources in the east of the Mediterranean.
Arinc also urged Greek Cypriot authorities to "turn back from the wrong way" and return to the negotiation table and put their "sincere efforts" in action under a process chaired by the UN.
Turkish Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek, Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc and Secretary General of Presidency Fahri Kasirga presented their congratulations to President Dervis Eroglu in Lefkosa.
Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots resumed negotiations after a two-year pause in February 2013. The previous round of talks had collapsed, partly because of the impact of the eurozone debt crisis on the government in Lefkosa.
In 1974, an attempt was made by Greek Cypriots to forcibly join the island to Athens through “enosis,” or union, in a coup attempt. This was resisted by an armed Turkish peace mission in accordance with the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee. Consequently, Turkish Cypriots set up their own state in the north of the island in 1983, recognized by Turkey, while continuing attempts for reconciliation.
The European Union recognizes the Greek Cypriot administration.
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