Turkish Cypriot foreign minister defends Türkiye's guarantor role in Cyprus

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertugruloglu said the Cyprus issue stems from Greek Cypriot attacks that began in 1963 and the denial of the political equality of the island's two founding partners, stressing that Turkish Cypriots will never give up Türkiye's right to intervene on the island.

Speaking to Anadolu on the 52nd anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation, Ertugruloglu said six decades of negotiations had failed to produce a settlement.

"As our founding president, Rauf Raif Denktas said the Cyprus issue is a matter of status," he said.

The Greek Cypriot side is treated as "the sole ruler and owner" of the island, while "the Turkish Cypriot side is expected to accept minority status. If you sit at the negotiating table without equality, you will leave without equality. That is why 60 years of negotiations have failed."

Ertugruloglu argued that the UN created the current impasse by recognizing the Greek Cypriot Administration as the "Republic of Cyprus," adding that the EU repeated the same mistake when it admitted the Greek Cypriot Administration as a member in 2004.

"The UN made this mistake, and the EU repeated it in 2004. Now they expect us to legitimize their mistakes. They will be waiting for a long time," he said, adding that the EU cannot remain impartial on the Cyprus issue.

He said there could be no lasting solution unless Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots were recognized as having equal status, criticizing the EU for approaching the issue as if there were a "Turkish occupation" on the island.

Reaffirming the TRNC's foreign policy based on "two sovereign equal states and equal international status," Ertugruloglu said: “We have our own state, our motherland, and our army. No one should come here believing they can deceive us.”

'The only country that fulfilled its role as a guarantor is the Republic of Türkiye'

Addressing the issue of guarantor powers under the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee, Ertugruloglu said Britain and Greece had failed to fulfill their responsibilities throughout history.

"The only country that fulfilled its role as a guarantor is the Republic of Türkiye," he said.

He reiterated that the Cyprus issue originated with the Greek Cypriot attacks of 1963 and the denial of the political equality of the island's two communities.

"We will never give up Türkiye's right to intervene in Cyprus. Türkiye's unilateral right of intervention is indispensable for Turkish Cypriots, and we will never abandon it," he said.

'Cyprus Peace Operation was not the beginning of the problem'

Ertugruloglu stressed that the Cyprus issue began in 1963, rejecting narratives portraying Türkiye's military intervention on July 20, 1974, as an unprovoked act.

"The Cyprus Peace Operation was not the beginning of the problem; in a sense, it was part of the solution," he noted.

He also said the intervention by the Turkish Armed Forces in 1974 saved Turkish Cypriots from "genocide" and enabled them to rebuild their lives.

Recalling the joint struggle of Turkish soldiers and Turkish Cypriot fighters 52 years ago, he said it prevented Cyprus from becoming a Hellenic island.

Ertugruloglu described the Turkish military as a deterrent rather than an aggressor, saying Türkiye's strength is evident in every field.

He also commemorated those killed during the Cyprus Peace Operation and expressed gratitude to veterans, adding that as long as Türkiye exists, Turkish Cypriots will never again experience those painful days of history.