Letter written by Osman Ertuð, TRNC Representative in Washington, published on Washington Times on October 5, 2002

The Sept. 27 article on Cyprus (“Turkey steps up threats of action,” World) is correct in stating that will be the Greek Cypriot side only, and not the whole of Cyprus, that will join the European Union at the end of the year if there is no settlement on the island before then. However, the author departs from the norms of objective and fair reporting when he condescendingly describes the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as “the runaway Turkish Cypriot state in the north  of the island.”

Recent history is testimony to the fact that it was not the Turkish Cypriots, but the Greek Cypriots who deliberately destroyed the binational state of Cyprus in 1963 and absconded with the title of the “government of Cyprus”. As we continue to seek a settlement to this long-standing dispute through negotiations, Turkish Cypriots have again proved their good will by proposing, among other things, safeguards against secession as part of a future settlement, including the continuation of the Treaty of Guarantee of 1960. The objective is, and should be, to create a new partnership of equals, in which neither partner will be able to attack, oppress or harass the other and run away with the assets of the partnership at the expense of the other.