On Tuesday, April 1, Turkey and the unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRSK) criticized the events organized in the Republic of Cyprus on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the EOK-a militarized organization created to unite the island with Greece and liberation from British colonial rule.
The deputy chairman of the ruling party of Turkey in relations with the Turkic states Cauld Zorla called these events “absolutely unacceptable” and emphasized that Eoku is a “symbol of the dark period, which in Cyprus is remembered with blood and tears.”
“Similar provocative steps taken on these lands, which equally belong to the Turkish Turks, do not contribute to the search for a real and sustainable solution for the island. On the contrary, they deepen the polarization and extend the lack of settlement, ”he said.
Zorla also noted that "the peaceful future of Cyprus is possible only with the recognition of the sovereign equality of both peoples and states, as well as their international status based on this principle." “We will always support the Turkish-kypriots in their fair business,” he added.
In turn, the “Ministry of Foreign Affairs” TRSK said that EOKA was originally created “for the genocide of Turks-Cypriots and the subsequent attachment of the Cyprus island to Greece”.
The statement also states that conducting such celebrations confirms the absence of changes in the politics and thinking of the Greeks-kipriots:
“Greece decided to hold events in schools in honor of the anniversary of the EOK. Against the background of strengthening such rhetoric, the Greek deputy of the European Parliament Aphrodity Latinopulu said that the slogan “Cyprus is Greece” is correct, since “Cyprus is really Greek”.
According to the TRSK authorities, such statements and events prove that the Greek side “seeks to intimidate the Turkish Turks, imposing the status of a minority” and does not show sincerity in its rhetoric about the desire for an agreement.
“Instead of calling for their people to sanity, the Greek-Kipr side fuels hostility to the Turks. They use the education system as an instrument of this dirty policy, sowing hatred among the young generation and deepening the gap in trust between the two peoples, ”the statement said.
The authorities of TRSK called on the leadership of the Republic of Cyprus "to revise their approach and recognize modern realities on the island."
“The only reality of Cyprus is the existence of two separate states and two separate peoples living side by side,” the TRK was concluded in the “Foreign Ministry”.
Source: Cyprus-Mail.com
