Northern Cyprus PM Ünal Üstel thanks Turkish defence minister Yaşar Güler over Cyprus remarks

Northern Cyprus Prime Minister Ünal Üstel has issued a message of thanks to Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler over his remarks on the security, welfare, sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people. Üstel said he and his government welcomed the strong and determined messages Güler delivered at the banner handover ceremony of the 2nd Amphibious Marine Infantry Brigade Command in İskenderun.

Üstel said the basis of a solution is the sovereign equality and equal international status of two states, and that there can be no step back from these principles. He also said he found important Güler's emphasis on Greek Cypriot attempts to obstruct Turkish Cypriots even in sports, culture and the arts, and called for the inhumane isolation and exclusionary policies imposed on Turkish Cypriots to end.

Üstel said Northern Cyprus would continue to strengthen its state, raise the welfare of its people and defend its sovereign equality internationally, in full solidarity with the motherland Turkey. He thanked Güler, the Turkish Armed Forces and the Republic of Turkey on his own behalf, on behalf of his government and on behalf of the Turkish Cypriot people.