Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Prime Minister Ünal Üstel issued a call directed at United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Üstel stated that a new process in Cyprus could only begin if the political realities on the island are accepted.
Reminding that the UN Secretary-General will also visit the TRNC, Üstel expressed hope that this visit will provide an opportunity to sincerely question the injustices against the Turkish Cypriot people.
The TRNC Prime Minister claimed that the promises made to the Turkish Cypriot people after the 2004 Annan Plan Referendum were not kept, that isolation has worsened, and that systematic economic attacks against the TRNC have increased. He stressed that those primarily responsible for this situation are the European Union and the UN, which did not keep their promises.
Üstel said the UN must abandon the federation approach that has yielded no results for over sixty years. 'The reality on the island is clear. There are two peoples, two democracies, and two separate states in Cyprus,' he assessed.
Stating that a lasting agreement in Cyprus is possible only by accepting the realities, Üstel said, 'If Mr. Guterres wants to make history by finding a solution to the Cyprus problem, this is what he must do: the United Nations General Assembly must convene and recognize the TRNC. The path to a lasting agreement and a lasting solution lies here.'