The European Parliament's decision to finance the creation of a memorial in memory of Greek women reportedly subjected to sexual violence during the 1974 events in Cyprus has been met with protest in Turkey.
The Turkish side has assessed the initiative as a continuation of a unilateral political approach targeting the Turkish Armed Forces. It has been stated that starting the history of the Cyprus conflict only from 1974 and ignoring the clashes that occurred on the island in previous years is unacceptable.
Damages the environment of trust between the parties
Speaking to Modern.az on the matter, Eylem Ertuğrul, a deputy from the Republican People's Party in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, stated that the European Parliament's decision has brought the sensitive balance and historical disputes in the region back to the agenda.
The deputy assessed such steps as a provocative initiative that damages the environment of trust between the parties:
“It gives the impression that this step aims to hinder the peace and negotiation process and limit the possibilities for dialogue between the parties. By highlighting only one side of the 1974 events and ignoring the complex and painful historical context of Cyprus, it harms the search for lasting peace on the island.”
According to Eylem Ertuğrul, the tragedies faced by both sides during the war should be investigated in a balanced manner. He believes that unilateral political decisions will further complicate the sensitive dialogue environment between Turkey and the European Union.
“Such approaches, instead of encouraging cooperation, lead to the alienation of the parties from each other and the strengthening of mutual protests,” the deputy said.
Turkey's guarantor state status is ignored
The TBMM member emphasized that the decision does not take into account the rights arising from the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee and Turkey's status as a guarantor state.
“It should be noted once again that the Turkish Armed Forces went to the island not as an occupier, but to prevent massacres and restore peace. The Turkish military acted to establish peace on the island. It was after that military operation that the bloodshed stopped,” Eylem Ertuğrul said.
In his opinion, the European Parliament's initiative is a political step without legal force, aimed at undermining the historical prestige of the Turkish army.
The presence of the Turkish military is a guarantee of security
Eylem Ertuğrul stated that the continuous presence of Turkish soldiers in Northern Cyprus for more than 50 years is one of the main guarantees of peace and security on the island:
“This unjust and political decision, which ignores historical realities with a unilateral approach, has no legal force. We strongly reject this initiative, which has no justification and is unethical.”
The deputy assessed the European Parliament's decision as a continuation of systematic campaigns conducted against Turkey at the international level:
“I consider this decision, in terms of its unilateral reflection of historical realities, as a continuation of campaigns conducted against Turkey and based on unfounded theses such as the alleged Armenian genocide claims.”
