Ersin Tatar claims that the proposals for the peace process promoted by the President of the Republic, Nicos Anastasiades, are a cover-up for the "intransigent" stance of the Greek Cypriots.
As reported in the occupied territories, a statement from the "presidency" says that it is obvious that the MoUs that the G/K side is trying to bring to the forefront, although it is known that they are not being implemented, are an "attempt to create an impression" in the international community to hide its "intransigent" positions and to "force" the TC "people" to reconcile their "sovereignty" with economic deceptions. "This is also an attempt to cover up the emerging and politically damaging facts about the EastMed gas pipeline, which Mr. Anastasiades defended with purely political motives," it added.
The "presidency" statement said that steps to build trust between the two sides can only serve their purpose if taken on the basis of realistic proposals that provide equal benefits and on the basis of equality, one of the parties will not exercise power and domination over the other. Unfortunately, instead of doing this, the Greek Cypriot side has sought support for its so-called - as stated - initiatives based on creating impressions on all international platforms, particularly the EU, "using the status they abused by claiming to be the so-called exclusive sovereign of Cyprus", the "presidency" argues.
The reason why the Cyprus problem has remained unresolved for more than half a century is that the Greek Cypriot side, which considers itself the sole sovereign of the island, ignores the acquired equal sovereignty of the Turkish Cypriot side, the "presidency" claims. The Turkish Cypriot side is at least as sovereign as the Greek Cypriot side and is ready to implement MoUs based on legally established rights and the consent of both parties in this direction, it adds.
The statement reiterates the T/C side's proposal for cooperation on hydrocarbons, "which it is accepted by all parties that they belong to both sides and will contribute significantly to ensuring security and stability both on the island and in our region." It is evident, it is stated, that a mechanism where both parties jointly decide on the extraction, transportation and economic exploitation of these resources will be a real confidence-building measure at a game-changing level, which will also serve to build a consensus based on equality between the parties.
It is argued that the real intention of the Greek Cypriot leadership, which, as claimed in the statement, does not contribute to the stability, prosperity and security of the region, nor to mutual respect, trust and reconciliation on the island, is not to build trust, but to gain the opportunity to extend the power and sovereignty it claims to have on the Turkish Cypriot side as well, the "presidency" said.
The T/C side contributes to the creation of cooperation mechanisms on the basis of equality, mutual dependence and the principle of mutual benefit (win-win) with the approval of both parties and is ready to contribute again in this direction this year, the statement concludes.
Source.
