|
|
|
Turkish-Cypriot parliament members voting for the declaration of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on 15 November 1983 |
On November
1983, the Parliament of the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus
proclaimed the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC, or
simply North Cyprus).
The
proclamation emphasised that the declaration of statehood was a
manifestation of the right of self-determination of the
Turkish-Cypriot people.
The Security
Council of the UN met on 17 and 18 November and adopted
Resolution 541 which described the attempt to create TRNC as
`legally invalid', called for the withdrawal of the Declaration
of Independence, and asked all countries not to recognise the
new republic.
|
|
|
Signatures
of the Turkish Cypriot MPs declaring Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus as an independent republic |
Turkish-Cypriots
argued that the Security Council was a political organisation
concerned with peace and security and not a judicial
organisation competent to judge the `legality' or `validity' of
states. So, there are, in effect, two states on the island
today, one internationally recognised, the other recognised only
by Turkey. Both are democratic and conduct their international
relations separately. But only the Greek-Cypriot state is
recognised by international and regional organisations such as
those of the UN and the EU.
|
|
|
Rauf Denktash, together with Dr Fazil
Küçük and Osman Örek in front of the parliament after the declaration of TRNC on 15 November 1983 |
The
Greek-Cypriot administration makes every effort to prevent the
Turkish Cypriots from even being heard in international fora. In
this way, even the most basic rule of natural justice -the right
to be heard- before a decision is made, is not observed. No
wonder international organisations continue to pass resolutions
against the Turkish-Cypriots.
The
Greek-Cypriot administration has been using its
"recognition" as a major political weapon against the
Turkish-Cypriots to impose an embargo on them -in all fields be
it economic, political, social, cultural, and even in sports- to
isolate and weaken them. But this embargo is hardly new. It has
been there since the earliest days of the Cyprus conflict, and
the world has hardly shown any reaction enough to get it lifted.
The following quotation is from a UN report in 1964 which said:
"Restrictions
which in some instances have been so severe as to amount to a
`veritable siege' indicate that the Government of Cyprus seeks
to force a potential solution by economic pressure as a
substitute for military action".
(UN Secretary
General's Report, S/5950, 10 September 1964)
|
