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The establishment of the TRNC, apart  from being the  result of  the  Turkish  Cypriot  People’s   claim  to self-determination  and  sovereignty, when we  looked at the  past,  it is clearly  seen  that  the main  cause  of  the  problem  is  sovereignty.

Briefly talking about  what  sovereignty is: we  can  say that  it is the  state’s sole internal  authority   and that, the state acting on behalf of  the  people,  who form  the  state, does not  recognize  any  other  authority  which  is  superior  or  equal  to  its  power. Within this context , we  will  now  look at  the  events since  1963.

As it is well known  by  everyone ,the Cyprus  problem  originated in 1963  from  the  Greek  Cypriots will to  expand  their  sovereignty all over the  island .The Greeks Cypriots implemented  the  Akritas  plan  on  21^st of  December  1963  by  realizing  the  coup  that  had been  secretly  prepared   in  the  long term  and  on  committing  their  first  murder, they ousted out  the    Turkish  deputies, ministers  and  public  officers  from all organs of  the partnership republic.According to the Greek  Cypriots, the 1960  Constitution had given the Turkish  Cypriots more rights  than they  deserved  and  as stated  then, they  were  accepted  as  a  separate  and equal ’society’.   However  the Greek  Cypriots  have  never  seen  the  Turkish  Cypriots  as their equals, could never accept them being  a separate  authority  and  on every  occasion expressed  their  objection    to  the  sharing of   sovereignty .

According to  the Greek  Cypriot  Administration,  there  is  only  one people ,and one legitimate government  and assembly referred to as the  ’’ Representatives Assembly’’  which  should  be  under  the  domination  of  the   Greek  Cypriot  majority  and  hold  the sovereignty right which it may  use   on  behalf  of  its citizens. According  to  them  there cannot be any  other  authority  on  the island  and the sole  authority  which will use  the  sovereignty  is  the Republic of Cyprus, which is formed  by one  hundred  per cent  Greek  Cypriots,  and   the  Turkish  Cypriot  people  are  a simple  minority within this republic. Moving ahead  from  this  view, the Greek Cypriots by  applying  to the UN  and  other  institutions, requested  the  reestablishment  of  their  sovereignty  over  the  whole  island. Their  intention  was  the  reduction  of  the  status  of  the  Turkish  Cypriot  Society  into  a  minority. Just  as  they  managed  to  make the UN Resolution(541) and  tried  to  proceed with  their  claim  of  being the   sovereign  power. This Resolution  was  devoid of any  legal basis and  prevented  the   recognition  of  the  TRNC. The  Turkish  Cypriot  people  gave an   excellent  and  impressive response ,by  maintaining and protecting  the  TRNC ,which was declared on   November 15  1983 ,has held   its  flag  on  the  flagpole  for 18  years.

In  order  to  proceed  and  reinforce  the  idea  that  they  are  the  sole legitimate authority  on  the  whole  island, the Greek  Cypriot administration  adopted  the  slogan  that ‘ sovereignty  is  one  and  cannot  be  divided’, and  never  wanted  to  negotiate the issue of sovereignty . This means  that,  there  is  only  one  sovereign  state  in Cyprus , which  is  the  Republic  of  Cyprus .This  republic’s  sovereignty is  valid  over the  whole  island, the  state  under  the  title  of  TRNC  cannot  be  recognized, the Turkish  Cypriots  are  a minority ,and  only  minority  rights  can be  given  to  them by   the  constitution. The Greek Cypriots  continuing with  their  claims, on July 3 1990  made an application for full membership into the  European  Union   and  by  reinforcing  the  title  of  the  Republic  of  Cyprus  in  this  way,  urged  some  assistance  in  order  to  spread  their  sovereignty  over  the  whole  island  .

Over  the past  18  years, Greek  Cypriots didn’t change    their  stance  or  propaganda  and   the TRNC  people  were  pulled  out  of  the  arena  of  the  hot  war  into  the  international propaganda  and  struggle  platform. This  stance  of  the  international  community  meant denying  the  existence  of  the  republic  which  is acknowledged but unofficially recognized,  and  forcing  it  into  new  struggles .This  was  called  democracy. In  other  words, for the  sake of  political purposes ,if the international  community can say that such a state does not exist, it should be ashamed.  By  closing  the  doors  of  the  world  to the Turkish Cypriot  people,  the Turkish  Cypriot  people  are being unjustly treated  and they are being  punished  for  their  claims  on  sovereignty  and  statehood.

However,  we  should  know  that  we  are  not  alone  in  this  platform  of  struggle. The Nearby motherland Turkey,which  closely support  the  Turkish  Cypriot  people throughout its  history,  is continuing to  support us  as  much  as  it  can, and is undertaking  diplomatic  initiatives  for  the  TRNC  to  be  recognized  and is struggling to  lighten  the burden of the  embargoes.Besides,  there  are the  studies including various scientific researches by both foreign and Turkish lawyers  and  academics  on  this  matter, which   contributes  to  the just thesis  of  the  Turkish  Cypriot  people  with  various  scientific  researches .

The  examples  that  can  be  given  on  this issue  are  too  many  to  be  given  in  this  article. However, among  them   there  are  some  internationally  prominent  lawyers  and  scientists  who  cannot  be  ignored .

The  American  lawyer Prof. Elihu  Lauhterpacht, in   two  separate  scientific  research made  in  1990, put  forward   the  facts  that  the Greek Cypriot  administration in  South Cyprus  is  illegal  and that  UN Resolution  541 (1983)  is  devoid of  any legal  basis according to international  law. Lauterpacht’s  reports  entitled ‘ Two communities in Cyprus and the TRNC’ and ‘The legal  status  of  the Turkish  Cypriot  and  Greek  Cypriot   communities   according to  international  law ‘ were distributed  at the UN  Assembly  as  a   UN document.

Another  American  lawyer,  Monroe  Leigh,  in  his  report  prepared  in  1991  under  the  title  of ’The legal status of the Turkish  and  Greek Cypriot  communities according to international  law’ stated  that  the Turkish  Cypriot  community  shared  the  right  of  self - determination  and  that  the  TRNC  should  be  recognized.  His  report   was  published  in the  UN General   Assembly .

Also  Prof.  Dieter  Blumenwitz, in  1991  by  preparing  a  report  under  the  title  of  ‘The Turkish  Cypriot  and  Greek  Cypriots’  legal  status‘ examined  the  right  of  self  determination  within  the  framework  of the  1960  Treaties  and Constitution  and concluded   that the  Turkish  Cypriot  people  had a separate  right  of  self-determination.             By  preparing  reports  in  1997,    two  lawyers  and  scientists Prof. M.H  Mendelsohn  and  Dr  Christian  Heinze  stated  that  the  Greek Cypriots’  membership  to  the  EU  under  the title of the  Republic  of  Cyprus  was  inappropriate   according  to  the  1960  Treaties,   Turkey  and  Greece  should  prevent  this, and    that there  were  serious  legal  obstacles  to  such  a  membership  from the  aspect  of  European   Union  law.

It  is also possible to give  more detailed  examples. However from  these examples it can clearly be seen that  sovereignty that   sovereignty  has a vital  role  in  establishing  and  sustaining  the  State .Having  no  legal  and  democratic  deficiencies  from  other  recognized states, the  TRNC  is  a  well  organized  state  equivalent  to that of the   Greek  side’s,  with  commercial  relations  and  foreign  representatives  in  over  100  countries   and  will  continue  to  stay  as  it  is. Any possible agreement or  solution model should  be  based on equal  sovereignty. Otherwise,  we  would  be  dropped  into  such  a  terrible  condition  that  we  can’t  imagine and as  a community   having  minority  rights  would be  patched  to  the  Greek Cypriot state. Hence, we  would  give  such  a good  opportunity, that  can’t  be  imagined  by  our  neighbours who  for many  years  have been dreaming  of  annexing   the  island  to    Greece  by  annihilating    us.

As   the  Turkish  Cypriot  people, on 15 November 1983  by using our self-determination right  and  by  performing  our  holiest  duty established our state . However our duties continue. From now on it is our most important duty  to sustain our sovereign state  which we established with our   blood  and through  many  sacrifices.