Based on this information, write a new short title in English: “Cyprus, Today and Tomorrow Panel” was held at GAU – BRTK

A panel was held at Girne American University (GAU) under the title “Cyprus, Today and Tomorrow”.

According to the information provided by GAU, representatives of the parties represented in the Assembly of the Republic shared their opinions with academicians and students at the panel.

Representatives of the National Unity Party (UBP), Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and Democratic Party (DP) attended the panel held at GAU Millennium Senate Congress Center. YDP representative Turan Büyükyılmaz could not attend the panel due to “a relative’s sudden illness”.

GAU Faculty of Political Sciences Deputy Dean. Assoc. Dr. Assoc. Prof. Head of International Relations Department, coordinated by Hasibe Şahoğlu. Dr. In the panel moderated by M. Sadık Akyar, UBP Party Assembly Member Özer Kanlı, DP Party Assembly Member Salih Çeliker and CTP Central Executive Board Member Assoc. Dr. Muhittin Tolga Özsağlam took part.

In the first part of the panel, the “historical process” was evaluated, and in the other part, the “current situation” was evaluated, and the representatives discussed their opinions according to the programs and policies of their parties.

Journalist – Writer Özer Kanlı, who participated in the panel on behalf of UBP, explained the process of the capture of the island of Cyprus by the Ottoman Empire and its lease to the British, and noted that the concept of the “Cyprus problem” that emerged afterwards was formed as a result of the “strategy” and “games” implemented by England.

“They have sovereign bases on the island, why shouldn’t we have a sovereign state?” Underlining the indispensability of Turkey’s effective guarantor, Kanlı emphasized that the federation is a “deception” and that the Turkish Cypriot people will continue to protect their state.

Stating that the TRNC has very important achievements today and that its rights and interests in the energy fields will be protected together with the Republic of Turkey, Kanlı said, “Based on the fact that his party is the continuation of the TMT, the discourses of the federation have no validity for them and that they cannot create a state on the basis of a separate state with full independence.” He stated that a solution is possible.

Speaking on behalf of CTP, Assoc. Dr. Muhittin Tolga Özsağlam also explained that the Turks’ first arrival to the Island was due to strategic concerns and the invitation of the “Greek Orthodox Church”, and that the break took place at the end of 1963, contrary to the statement that the problem started in 1974, which is the basis of the Greek side’s claims.

Stating that the UN Peace Force started to work after this date, which refuted the Greek thesis, Özsağlam said that under the influence of the Greek side in Crans Montana, the two-state solution came to the agenda after the “collapse of the table”, but as CTP, for today, it is not a political and sovereign solution. He emphasized that they support a federation based on equality.

Assoc. Dr. Özsağlam stated that Turkey’s guarantorship should continue within the scope of the balance of powers. Özsağlam attributed the continuation of the guarantee to fully benefit from the hydrocarbon deposits and claimed that the best way to achieve this was the federation option.

Özsağlam, who made some punitive and binding suggestions in order to prevent the negativities experienced in Crans Montana from recurring in the future, pointed out that the two-state solution will not be legally accepted on the island. Arguing that the other side also had a “rejecting” attitude towards the federation, but that the most appropriate solution was the federation, Özsağlam also made evaluations about the need to focus on issues such as education, tourism, climate change, merit and public reform.

Democratic Party representative Salih Çeliker said, “The reason why the Cyprus issue has not been resolved for fifty years is the spoiledness of the Greeks.” he said. Çeliker evaluated that, as a party, they supported the talks, but that these talks failed because the fact that they could be within the scope of “two sovereign states and good neighborly relations” was not seen, and on the contrary, the Greeks never gave up on the “ENOSIS” ideal.

Çeliker stated that the Greek Cypriots do not want to know or know the Turkish Cypriots and noted that the TRNC has produced a momentum that can be considered high despite the embargoes and that regardless of the political solution, the country’s administration should focus its attention on its internal dynamics and internal affairs.

The panel was attended by GAU Rector Prof. Dr. Serdar Yurtsever, GAU Culture, Youth, Sports Department Head Türkay Akpınar and GAU Faculty of Political Sciences Deputy Dean. Assoc. Dr. It ended with the presentation of plaques by Hasibe Şahoğlu to the participants.