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Turkish Cypriot Leader Accuses Greek Cypriot Side of Continuing Exclusionary Policies

Published January 2, 2026, 14:15
Turkish Cypriot Leader Accuses Greek Cypriot Side of Continuing Exclusionary Policies

The 'Prime Minister' of the occupied territories, Ünal Üstel, accused the Greek Cypriot side of continuing a policy of excluding Turkish Cypriots and unilaterally violating the Constitution, referring to the effort to 'reconstruct and modernize' the Republic of Cyprus founded in 1960. He argued that the Republic of Cyprus has been 'usurped' by the Greek Cypriot side in violation of international law and that continuing it through reforms leads to a deadlock. Mr. Üstel proposes a model of cooperation between two sovereign states as the only realistic solution, believing that the federal solution has failed. He also criticized the EU for losing its neutrality and warned that he would not support initiatives by European envoys unless they demonstrate a 'fair attitude'. Finally, he criticized the Republic of Cyprus' defense collaborations and reiterated the position on maintaining Turkey's guarantees.