On the occasion of the 52nd anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, Ankara reiterated its support for the pseudo-state, citing “sovereign equality” and the “equal international status” of the Turkish Cypriots as the basis for a solution.

In a statement, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Turkey will continue “with all its might” to protect the interests of the pseudo-state and to work toward the recognition, as it put it, of “sovereign equality” and the “equal international status” of the Turkish Cypriots.

Furthermore, he characterized the 1974 invasion as “the culmination of the Turkish Cypriot people’s struggle for freedom,” reiterating the position that Turkey “acted within the framework of its rights and obligations under the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee.”

SEE ALSO: Revealing testimony: “I heard them say they executed Greek Cypriots and buried them by pouring asphalt over them”

Meanwhile, the Turkish Ministry of Defense stated that the military operation was carried out for “the security, freedom, and future of the Turkish Cypriots,” noting that “the sacrifice of the martyrs and veterans will forever remain in our memory.”

The Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, Numan Kurtulmuş, asserted that Turkey is the guarantor of the “legitimate rights of the Turkish Cypriot people” and “peace and stability in Cyprus.”

“This responsibility of ours will continue forever,” he said, adding that Ankara will continue to support the Turkish Cypriot side’s position for a solution based on “sovereign equality” and “equal international status.”

The post by former Defense Minister and current Chairman of the Defense Committee of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, Hulusi Akar, was particularly harsh.

Akar described the Turkish invasion as “just and lawful” and argued that it put an end to the “massacres against Turkish Cypriots” and, as he claimed, prevented “an attempt at ethnic cleansing.”

SEE ALSO: “Everything depends on Turkey’s response”: The President’s message on 52 years of occupation and Guterres’ visit

He also stated that the Turkish army brought “security, peace, tranquility, and stability” to Cyprus, not only for Turkish Cypriots but also for Greek Cypriots.

As the basis for a permanent solution, he put forward the position of “two equal sovereign states” and “equal international status,” concluding with the slogan: “Cyprus is Turkish and will remain Turkish.”

Source: CNA