"Distinguished guests and colleagues,
My dear Turkish Cypriot people,

Today is a very special day, for a new era has opened in the history of Cyprus. Today not only marks a presidential inauguration; it is also the first anniversary of the referendum in which 65% of the Turkish Cypriot people raised their voices to say "yes" to a solution in Cyprus and to accession to the European Union… And it is also an extraordinary day in my own life. It gives me great pleasure to have been elected by the Turkish Cypriot people in a single round of voting, to the office of President; and I thank you from my heart for the trust you have shown in me. At the same time, this is a humbling moment, for a great responsibility has been laid on my shoulders: to change the course of the tides and waters of history. I come to this office in the knowledge of why you have charged me with this task, and with the promise and the goal of working to serve our people.

The debt of gratitude owed to my predecessor Mr. Rauf Denktash, the first President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, goes without saying. The lengthy and intense work of Mr. Denktash, his weathering of stormy and difficult times, his contributions to building our community, will take their place in history. We wish him all health and happiness for the rest of his life.

Distinguished guests,
My dear people,

Throughout history, the inhabitants of Cyprus have heard the sound of the sea’s waves whispering on our shores. The voice of the sea reminds us that we live on an island; yet at the same time, speaking in our hearts and minds, it always reminds us that no person is an island of loneliness. To sailors thousands of years ago, the sound of the waves was a call to open up to the world. And as we know from our own history, no life can be lived in isolation; the sea is a pathway to new horizons.

Expressing their deep-rooted desire to embrace the world and adhere to the principles of international law, the Turkish Cypriot people have reiterated, in every election and referendum over the last few years, that justice cannot be served if a people is constrained to live in isolation. We have reached a point where words and promises can no longer suffice: the international community has a responsibility to respond now, and with deeds and actions, to the demonstrated willingness of the Turkish Cypriot people to integrate with the world in peace, democracy, and friendship. For this is a people who have proven their right not to be cut off from the world and punished, but on the contrary, to be welcomed and honoured.

We are here. We stand here in the north of Cyprus, at a crossroads of great historical eras and an intersection of far-ranging geographies. For thousands of years our island has been home to the civilizations of East and West. And now the Turkish Cypriots, the Greek Cypriots, and the minority groups who share this common history and heritage, have arrived at a turning-point. A point where we must create a new Cyprus within the European Union, for our common future and the future of our children.

As Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, we must learn from the lessons of past history and study what is expected of us in the twenty-first century. If one is a member of the European Union merely on paper, this does not mean one is European. And to be a member of the European Union does not mean to use this membership as an international instrument for discriminatory, racist, authoritarian, or uncompromising policies towards other communities, especially in one’s own country. The "European Solution" that is constantly called for by Mr. Papadopoulos, the leader of the Greek Cypriot community, has no other intention than to erase the Turkish Cypriots from history by depriving them of their rights of partnership and equality on the island; it is not a "solution," nor is it in any sense "European." Mr. Papadopoulos’s uncompromising policy, as he has clearly demonstrated, is not only a means for preventing Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots from living together in peace; it is also a means for obstructing peaceful relations between Cyprus, Europe, and the rest of the world. The Turkish Cypriots have chosen not to be slaves to history, but instead, to create a new history. Today they are calling on the Greek Cypriots to join them, to write this history together. They have elected me to this office to speak for them, and to sound this call for peace.

Although the Greek Cypriot community has been caught in a storm because their own captain steered the wrong course, we will not abandon them and leave them to be engulfed by the rising waves. To the Greek Cypriot people we are holding out a hand of brotherhood, friendship, and peace; and we shall continue to do so, for we are all in the same ship together. And we shall repeat our call for a just and lasting solution based on the political equality of both communities, until we persuade them that we must continue this voyage together for the sake of Cyprus, our common homeland.

We repeat, and shall keep repeating our call to the guarantor powers of Cyprus – Turkey, Greece, and Britain – that they continue to support efforts for a solution under the good offices of the U.N. Secretary-General. We shall continue to meet our responsibilities and show our good intentions towards establishing a unified Cyprus whose membership in the European Union will also include the northern part of the island, and protect the rights of the Turkish Cypriots. We see it as a necessity that the Greek Cypriot side comply with the requests of the U.N. Secretary-General to begin negotiations; and as imperative that the international community, the European Union and the countries of the world play a more active role in this process, and bring to an end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots.

Finding a solution to the Cyprus problem will send a message of hope and expedite peace processes all over the world, particularly those that are occupying the United Nations in the Middle East and the Balkans. For the sea that surrounds our island does not separate us from the rest of the world, but unites us with three continents. Constantly reminds us of our common destiny with Turkey. On behalf of my people, I have to thank the Republic of Turkey, whose presence we always feel beside us through the good times and the bad, in support and solidarity. Turkey is taking steps towards membership in the European Union, following Ataturk’s principles and aims of "peace at home, peace in the world" and "attaining the level of a modern civilization." It will continue to be the most trustworthy companion of the Turkish Cypriots, and our common voyage across the open seas will continue.

Distinguished citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,