Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (26.12.11) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu has reiterated the allegation that two separate peoples, two separate states, two separate nations and two separate religions exist in Cyprus and claimed that only by starting from this point a solution in Cyprus will be possible. Addressing a ceremony in Gaziantep on Sunday on the occasion of the 90th anniversary from the liberation of city, Eroglu said that Cyprus’s importance for Turkey is great from the point of view of Turkey’s security and strategic interests in the area and the world.

 He added: “For this reason, some people do not want the Cyprus problem to be solved within the framework of justice. Therefore, with their actions they encourage the Greek Cypriot side in being intransigent, they spoil it. However, the situation is there. Two areas, two peoples, two states, two nations and two separate religions exist in Cyprus. It is possible to reach a result by starting from these realities.

I hope that they will come to their senses in 2012 and that we will reach an agreement. However, if this does not happen, we will not surrender; we will not succumb to them. We have our state. Our motherland and the brave people of Anatolia are with us. Neither our motherland will be without Cyprus, nor will we be without our motherland. If we do not agree with the Greek Cypriots, we will continue to advance in our way.

We will continue our struggle together with the motherland and we will reach the place we deserve at the international platform?” Eroglu said that he takes courage and strength by visiting Anatolia and his belief that no one will be able to spoil their bonds with their brothers in Anatolia. Referring to the decision taken by the French Parliament as regards the Armenian genocide, Eroglu described it as “racist approach against the Turkish nation” and argued after this decision his visit to Gaziantep becomes more important for him because this is a city which allegedly knows the French “cruelty” and resisted to the French “occupation”.

 Eroglu argued that first the people of Gaziantep gained their freedom walking the road paved by Kemal Ataturk’s liberation struggle and then the Turkish Cypriots followed the same path and carried out their own struggle. He claimed that as a result of this struggle the Turkish Cypriots have the guarantee of the Turkish army with the support of Turkey and established their state. Eroglu called on the inhabitants of Gaziantep to make investments in the occupied area of Cyprus and spend their vacations here. “Cyprus is a national cause, it is the common cause of the entire Turkish nation”, he argued.