President Erdogan, speaking in Northern Cyprus, said to Miçotakis: "I called it provocation."

20.07.2024 10:31

President Erdogan attended the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Cyprus Peace Operation. Speaking at the ceremony in Nicosia, Erdogan said, "The Greek Defense Minister made absurd statements. We recently met with Miçotakis. We told him that we will be in Northern Cyprus on July 20th and he is in the South, so he shouldn't provoke us. He said he wouldn't."

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan went to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) with the private plane TC-CAN to attend the 50th anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation and the July 20 Peace and Freedom Day ceremonies.

Erdogan was welcomed by TRNC President Ersin Tatar at Ercan Airport with an official ceremony. The reception was attended by TRNC Republic Assembly Speaker Zorlu Tore, TRNC Prime Minister Unal Ustel, and Turkey's Ambassador to Nicosia Metin Feyzioglu.

MINISTERS AND PARTY LEADERS IN THE TRNC

Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) Speaker Numan Kurtulmus, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan, Minister of National Defense Yasar Guler, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahceli, Democracy and Progress Party (DSP) Chairman Onder Aksakal, and Great Unity Party (BBP) Chairman Mustafa Destici are accompanying President Erdogan. Erdogan will first lay a wreath at the Ataturk Monument and then participate in the July 20 Peace and Freedom Day Parade on Fazil Kucuk Boulevard. Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Ozgur Ozal will also be present at the celebrations.

CALL TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THE TRNC

Meanwhile, the decision of the Turkish Grand National Assembly regarding the 50th anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation was published in the Official Gazette. In the decision, it was stated, "We invite the international community to accept the realities on the island and to put an end to the inhumane isolation that the Turkish Cypriot people have been subjected to and to recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as it deserves. We emphasize that Turkey will continue to be the guarantor state and the motherland, ensuring the freedom and welfare of the Turkish Cypriots, just as it has been until today. Turkey will never allow the erosion of the legitimate rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot people."

"WE HAVE NEVER LEFT THE TURKISH CYPRIOTS ALONE, AND WE WILL NOT"

The Ministry of National Defense (MSB) also issued a message on social media regarding the 50th anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation. The message on the ministry's social media account stated, "Happy 50th anniversary of the Mutlu Peace Operation, which put an end to the inhumane massacres against the Turkish Cypriots and brought peace, security, and tranquility to the island. We commemorate our martyrs with mercy and wish our veterans a healthy and happy long life. We have never left the Turkish Cypriots alone, and we will not."