Third parties should remain neutral on Cyprus question: Akar

ANKARA

Third parties should remain objective and neutral on the Cyprus question, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has said, stressing that ignoring the presence and rights of the Turkish Cypriots will not bring peace and stability to the island.

“Our expectation from the third parties is to be objective and neutral on the Cyprus issue, abandon strategic blindness, pursue an equal approach towards the Turkish Cypriots and pledge their rights,” Akar said at a reception on the occasion of the Armed Forces Day of the Turkish Cyprus late Aug 1 in Ankara.

The proposals tabled by Türkiye and Turkish Cyprus for the resolution of the Cyprus problem have never been responded to, Akar said, accusing Greek Cyprus of blocking peace efforts by differentiating the Turkish Cypriots on the island.

“Greek Cypriots should realize the realities, see the Turkish presence and recognize the independence and sovereignty of the Turkish presence. They should acknowledge their right to live in security and prosperity,” Akar stated.

The minister recalled that Türkiye has fully performed its responsibility as a guarantor state and will continue to do that, noting they will never allow the violation of the rights of Türkiye and the Turkish Cyprus in the Aegean, eastern Mediterranean and Cyprus.

“Nobody should interpret our calls for dialogue as weakness and not see our statements that ‘We will never allow the violation of our rights’ as a threat. Türkiye will continue to stand with its Cypriots brothers in their rightful cause,” Akar said.

Türkiye has long been calling on Greece for resolving the bilateral problems stemming from the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean without the involvement of third parties. Greece, however, is trying to turn the Turkish-Greek dispute over overlapping continental shelf claims and other problems into Türkiye-EU and Türkiye-United States problem.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he won’t meet with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis after the latter called on the U.S. Congress to block the sale of the F-16 warplanes to Türkiye.