President Tatar stated: “As is widely known, Mr. Afzal Khan CBE, MP for Manchester Rusholme and the United Kingdom’s Trade Envoy to Türkiye, recently visited the TRNC at my invitation. Having met him in Manchester earlier this year, it was both a personal privilege and a source of pride for the Turkish Cypriot people to host him in our homeland.

The intolerant statements and baseless criticisms voiced by the Greek Cypriot leadership and certain circles in the aftermath of this visit are yet another manifestation of the decades-long, unjust, and unlawful policy of isolating the Turkish Cypriot people. To behave as though high-ranking foreign officials have never set foot in the TRNC before, and to subject a member of parliament to such excessive hostility and pressure, is wholly unacceptable. 

Such conduct is not only an affront to our guest but also a direct insult to the dignity and will of the Turkish Cypriot people.

The Greek Cypriot side has long regarded it as its foremost duty to exclude us from all forms of contact, international participation, trade, sport, culture, and every other sphere of life. I categorically reject and strongly condemn this exclusionary mindset and every statement that promotes it.

A stance that is so narrow-minded, oppressive, and devoid of equality cannot possibly be expected to view the Turkish Cypriot people as equal partners in the future. These occurences should serve as a clear wake-up call to those who still harbor illusions that equality will be granted by the Greek Cypriot side. 

The actions of the Greek Cypriot leadership expose the dangers and folly of tying the will of the Turkish Cypriot people to the approval of the Greek Cypriot authorities.

The Turkish Cypriot people are entitled to a future based on the factual realities on the ground in Cyprus: There exists two Peoples, two democracirs and two States.  The Turkish Cypriot people have equal inherent rights, namely sovereign equality and equal international status. We will continue, with steadfast determination and despite all obstacles, to pursue this rightful goal without compromise.”