Turkish Foreign Ministry: The goal of recognizing pseudo-states was repeated in the annual edition

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs accuses Greece of an aggressive and hostile attitude in its annual publication, in which it summarizes positions, policies and aspirations by geographical region. He denounces Greece for violating the status of the Aegean islands, however he does not dispute their sovereignty. In the annual edition, the aim of the Turkish side to recognize the pseudo-state in occupied Cyprus is repeated.

In the chapters "If. Mediterranean, Cyprus, Greece" is recorded the presentation given by the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, to the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament, on November 8, 2022.

As stated, "Turkey has legal rights and interests deriving from international law in the maritime areas of the Eastern Mediterranean", while there is talk of a "prejudiced and discriminatory attitude adopted by the EU and some third countries", which Ankara claims , does not contribute to the stability and peace of the region.

"No platform or plan in the region that tries to ignore our country is going to succeed. The withdrawal of US support from the EastMed gas pipeline project also demonstrated this situation,” it said.

According to the annual publication, the borders of Turkey's continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean were notified to the UN in 2020. “On this continental shelf, where we have sovereign rights, hydrocarbon activities continue with Turkish-flagged seismic survey and drilling vessels. Unauthorized activities of research vessels flying the flag of a third country are not allowed within these borders," it said.

It is added that the regional conference on the Eastern Mediterranean proposed by the Turkish President, if implemented, "will form the necessary basis for multilateral cooperation and dialogue in the region".

It is then stated that "in the Aegean we aim for a fair solution of all the interrelated problems between Greece and our country within the framework of international law and in accordance with the rights and interests of our country".

There is also talk of "a violation by Greece of the demilitarized regime of the Eastern Aegean islands" while the claim is made that "Turkey has the necessary political will to solve the current problems". "Greece's current policy of tension and expressing grievances against Turkey to third parties will harm it more," says Ankara.

According to the annual edition of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs "in the Cyprus issue, our national case, in the light of the position for a two-state solution, we continue our initiatives in every field to secure the acquired rights (sovereign equality and equal international status) of the Turkish Cypriots our brothers and ending the unjust embargo and the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot people".

"Pointing to the deep inequality between the regime of the two co-owners of the island, we emphasize that the desire of the Greek Cypriot side to dominate the entire island destroyed the Republic of Cyprus in 1963 and prevents the solution today. We underline that the bi-zonal, bi-communal federation will not be subject to negotiation once again and that a possible negotiation process can only be started after the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people is recognised.

In this context, he continues, "we supported the proposals for cooperation in six sectors (hydrocarbons, electrical interconnection, energy, water, illegal immigration, mine clearance) presented by the President of the tsvk Ersin Tatar, on July 1 and 8 in a ministerial statement. The implementation of these proposals will contribute to peace and stability in the eastern Mediterranean, as well as to the consolidation of cooperation between the two existing states on the island and will contribute decisively to the creation of common ground for the solution of the Cyprus issue.

He then refers to Erdogan's appeal to the international community, during the 77th UN General Assembly, to recognize the pseudo-state and says that "we continue to work together with the Turkish Cypriots towards this goal, which confirms that Turkish Cypriots are equal and co-owners of the island ».

For Greece, it is reported that "the positive atmosphere in our relations with Greece was short-lived and the Greek side did not demonstrate a sincere and honest approach and continued its provocative and escalating actions and statements."

As a result, he continues, it was decided to cancel the meetings of the High Level Cooperation Council with Greece and all high level dialogue mechanisms were suspended. "In the face of Greece's aggressive and hostile attitude, all necessary measures were taken within the framework of international law to protect our national security and our legitimate interests, and the provocations and harassments of this country remained on the agenda of the international community," it is noted. .

According to the Turkish claim, Greece has taken an "uncompromising stance" on the fundamental issues of bilateral relations, such as the fight against terrorism, illegal immigration and minorities. For Western Thrace, the claim is made that Greece "continues to interfere with the rights of the Turkish Minority through oppressive laws and practices" and calls on Athens to "respect international law" and fulfill its contractual obligations.

Source: KYPE