Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that his country will seek to ensure international recognition of Turkish Cyprus. In return, Washington criticized the transfer of the Maras region to the control of Turkish Cypriots, and the renewed debate between Turkey and the European Union over the island of Cyprus.
"It is time for negotiations between two countries on the island of Cyprus," Erdogan said, in a speech on Wednesday, noting that Turkey will do its utmost to make the Turkish Cypriot state gain widespread recognition as soon as possible.
"The only demand of the Turkish Cypriots at the international negotiating table has become the recognition of their status as a sovereign state," he added.
Erdogan stressed that the Greek Cypriots had committed all kinds of injustice and cruelty against the Turkish Cypriots since 1963, and that they had rejected all initiatives to solve the problem on the island, including the plan of former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2004.
Turkish military parade
In a related context, the Turkish Ministry of Defense published scenes of its fighters carrying out air shows in the airspace of the Turkish Republic of Cyprus, to celebrate the 47th anniversary of the Turkish military "peace process" on the territory of the latter.
In a tweet on Twitter, the ministry today published clips showing some of the aerial displays of its fighters in memory of the 1974 military operation that Ankara carried out to rescue the Turkish Cypriots on the island.
The video clip shows the Turkish fighters drawing the crescent and the star, in reference to the symbol carried by the flags of the two countries.
Kıbrıs Barış Harekâtı ile “KKTC Barış ve Özgürlük Bayramı'nın 47'nci Yıl Dönümü” etkinlikleri kapsamında, F-16'larımızın yanı sıra @TurkYildizlariama KKTirafçımlınşe
pic.twitter.com/LyZeJLxnty
— TC Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) July 21, 2021
On July 20, 1974, Turkey launched the "peace process" in Cyprus, after the island witnessed a military coup led by Nicos Sampson against Cypriot President Makarios III, on the 15th of the same month.
The coup took place with the support of the ruling military council in Greece, while the Greek Cypriot armed groups targeted the island's Turkish residents.
On February 13, 1975, the "Federal Turkish Cypriot State" was established in the northern part of the island.
American criticism
On the other hand, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that his country condemns the announcement by the Turkish Cypriot leader and Turkish President Erdogan to transfer parts of the Cypriot Varosha (Maraş) to the control of the Turkish Cypriots as it contradicts Security Council resolutions.
Blinken added that his country views the actions of the Turkish Cypriots as provocative, unacceptable and incompatible with their previous commitments, expressing Washington's support for a comprehensive settlement led by the Cypriots to reunify the island.
For his part, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian expressed - today, Wednesday - his support for Cyprus, after the Turkish Cypriots announced a partial reopening of the city of Marash, which sparked strong criticism from the Greek Cypriots.
Le Drian indicated that he discussed the matter - yesterday - with his Cypriot counterpart, and that he would raise the issue at the United Nations.
The French Foreign Ministry said - in a statement - that "France deeply regrets this unilateral step that was not coordinated and represents a provocation."
"It undermines the restoration of confidence necessary for the urgent resumption of negotiations for a just and lasting solution to the Cyprus issue," the statement added.
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades described the move as "illegal and unacceptable".
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that "the Maras region of the Turkish Republic of Cyprus will rise again within the framework of international law."
Erdogan said - in a speech he delivered yesterday during his participation in the inauguration of a number of development and vital projects in Lefkosa, capital of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus - that the Cypriot Marash region will restore its old days by opening it in a way that does not harm the rights of anyone and within the framework of international law.
President Erdoğan: “The Maras region will be a symbol of the peaceful and prosperous future of the island of Cyprus.” https://t.co/okD8hBbyCD pic.twitter.com/Ns3SXCJGXd
— Turkish Presidency (@tcbestepe_ar) July 20, 2021
The Marash tourist area in the city of Gazi Maghousa is located on the line separating the two parts of Cyprus, and was closed under agreements concluded with the Greek side following the military "peace process" carried out by Turkey on the island in 1974.
On October 8, 2020, the Turkish Cypriots opened part of the closed Marash area in the city of Gazi Maghousa (east of the country) after a 46-year closure, according to the Anatolia Agency.
Mutual criticism between Ankara and the Europeans
For his part, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Josep Borrell expressed his concern over Erdogan's statements during his visit to the northern part of Cyprus, and considered them "unacceptable."
"The European Union reiterates the need to avoid unilateral steps contrary to international law and new provocations that could increase tensions on the island and threaten the resumption of negotiations with the aim of reaching a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue," Borrell said in a statement.
Borrell expressed his regret over the decision of Turkish Cypriots to reopen the Marash tourist area in the city of Gazi Maghousa, on the line separating the Turkish and Rumi parts of Cyprus.
On the other hand, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said that Borrell's statements about President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" are a new example of the European Union's detachment from reality.