According to the Press and Information Office, in statements to the T/C "news agency", Tatar said that President Anastasiades sent messages approving what EOKA did and emphasized Hellenism.
"Against our goodwill and our perception of agreement, their perception is always to leave the door open for Cyprus to become a Greek island. This is the message they give. If in this agreement you say two equal sovereign states, it means that this door is closed for them. Yes, we in good will want an agreement. We do not have a concept cut off from the world, cut off from communication, cut off from dialogue and with our head in the sand. We always say that we want an agreement, we want peace. We see that there are meetings with Greece. There is talk of goodwill. [...] There are efforts to develop a concept of consensus based on law in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean."
Arguing that hydrocarbons in the Eastern Mediterranean have become more important due to the changing geopolitical situation with the war started by Russia in Ukraine and the circumstances, Mr. Tatar expressed the view that the issue is to discuss the matter while protecting the interests of the Turkish side in the Eastern Mediterranean.
"If you are still repeating the rhetoric of 1821, if you are giving messages that will satisfy the supporters of Hellenism, I doubt your goodwill. It is obvious that the agreement you have in mind is a concept that leaves the door open to Hellenism, which does not respect the equality of the Turks of Cyprus."
Noting that Turkish Cypriots are on the same side as Turkey and that they are an element of balance in the Eastern Mediterranean, Ersin Tatar reiterated that they will not give up their historical gains, such as Turkey's guarantees.
Recalling that in his message on the anniversaries, the Greek Ambassador in Nicosia said that a solution without the abolition of the system of guarantees and the complete withdrawal of Turkish troops does not make sense, the TC leader said that "these gains are the essence of our rights here, of our law, of the struggle we are waging on the basis of sovereignty."
He reiterated that the happenings in Ukraine show how important Turkey's guarantees are for the Turkish Cypriots and added that after seeing what is happening in Ukraine, those who said that guarantees were no longer needed started to think differently.
He argued that the messages of Greek Cypriot politicians focusing on Hellenism and the banners carried at the ceremonies by Greek Cypriot students with the slogan "our borders are in Kyrenia, we will return", which he claimed were escalating tensions, should not be overlooked.
"We continue and will continue our policy so that there can be an environment, an agreement that can best protect peace, tranquility and security with the continuation of the Turkish presence to the end, Turkey's guarantees on the basis of equality," he concluded.
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