The remarks by the Greek Foreign Minister in his statement today concerning the 43rd anniversary of the 20 July Cyprus Peace Operation are unacceptable.

As Prime Minister Yıldırım emphasized yet again today in Nicosia at the Freedom and Peace Celebrations, the Peace Operation was conducted within the framework of Turkey's rights and obligations stemming from international treaties. Through the Operation, Turkey put an end to the suffering on the Island and ensured that it would not recur.

As a guarantor, Turkey demonstrated to the world that day, through the Peace Operation, that it would not allow enosis to be carried out and that the Turkish Cypriots were not alone.

Turkey remains determined not to allow the common struggle of Greece and the Greek Cypriots, as expressed by the Greek Foreign Minister, to be directed against the existence and independence of the Turkish Cypriots.

The enosis decision of the Greek Cypriot Parliament, the attitude displayed in the settlement negotiations by Greece together with the Greek Cypriot Administration on the Security and Guarantees issue, as well as this most recent statement by the Greek Foreign Minister, all draw attention to their true intentions on the Cyprus issue.