The President opened the exhibition featuring the photographs snapped by President Denktaş, before delivering a speech at the meeting of the International Organisation of Turkic Culture (TÜRKSOY), where he also answered the questions of the local press prior to the panel.

President Ersin Tatar addressed the meeting where he paid tribute to the work of TÜRKSOY which was established in 1993, following the founding agreement by the Ministers of Culture of Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

The President said that TÜRKSOY played a fundamental role in strengthening the common bonds and cultural heritage of Turkic people and promoting this in different parts of the world.

“In this context, I am honoured to be here today among you, at this important event that has been attributed to our Founding President, Rauf Raif Denktaş, on the 100th anniversary of his birth,” President Tatar said.

Stating that Denktaş has “won a place in all our hearts” through his “writings and statements recorded during the just struggle of the Turkish Cypriot People”, President Tatar gave examples about key moments he had with the Founding President.

President Tatar said he had fond memories of Denktaş when he was a child as his late father, Rüstem Tatar, had served in many different positions of the state.

President Tatar said: “The most painful days for the Turkish Cypriot People was when the Ottomans left the island and the British colonial flag was raised. This was subsequently  followed by armed attacks on our people by the Greek Cypriots. All these forced significant numbers of Turkish Cypriot people to migrate to Türkiye and many other parts of the world.”

Explaining that the “Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots established the Republic of Cyprus in 1960 on the basis of equality when Britain handed sovereignty to both co-founders,” President Tatar added: “Just three years later, island-wide attacks had been started against Turkish Cypriots by Greek Cypriot forces, as part of the aspiration to unite Cyprus with Greece (ENOSIS).  The Turkish Cypriot People were outnumbered and outgunned.  Our people lived through acts of genocide and atrocities that were carried out under annihilation plans, and were forced to abandon 103 Turkish Cypriot villages and lived in enclaves with no food or water.”

President Tatar, explaining that he was also born in the heart of Lefkoşa in 1960, said he had “witnessed the pain and suffering of the Turkish Cypriot People as a child, which inspired me to serve my State and people, in the struggle for justice”.

“Founding President, Rauf Denktaş, has left a very powerful legacy for the Turkish Cypriot People,” President Tatar continued. “He was a lawyer,  he made many sacrifices and devoted his entire life to the Cyprus national cause, and spent decades being involved in different negotiation processes for a settlement of the Cyprus issue.  However he also had a passion in photography, taking photographs of nature and the environment, cultural depictions, scenery, animals and humanity. . . he had an amazingly  indescribable artistic personality and talent.”

Explaining the magnitude of work Denktaş carried out for the independence of his people, President Tatar said: “Despite suffering a significant amount of pain and loss during his life, Denktaş was able to observe the beauties of life, which is a source of inspiration for me as well.”

President Tatar referred to the historic address of Denktaş at the UN Security Council and the injustices faced by the Turkish Cypriots and TRNC which Denktaş opposed at every platform.

 Explaining his own new position for a settlement in Cyprus that is based on the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot People, President Tatar stated that “this position is being fully supported by Türkiye,” adding that “negotiations for a federal settlement have been tried, failed and exhausted, because of the Greek Cypriot Side’s refusal to share power and prosperity with the Turkish Cypriots on the basis of equality”.

“Our two State position, that provides a realistic and sustainable basis for a settlement that allows the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots to co-exist as good neighbours in a cooperative relationship, was a position and the wish of Denktaş,” President Tatar said. “Nobody can belittle the achievements that have come about in the last three years due to our new position,” he added.

President Tatar stated that the Turkish Cypriot People “have the same inherent rights as those  of the Greek Cypriots, and we are an independent and sovereign people. . . I wish to thank the President of Azerbaijan, İlham Aliyev, for his strong support to the TRNC”.

President Tatar thanked TÜRKSOY and the TRNC Ankara Embassy for the organisation.