Ali Öztunç defends Turkey's Cyprus policy at OSCE meeting

Ali Öztunç, a Member of Parliament for the Republican People's Party (CHP), addressed the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Andorra to defend Turkey's position regarding Cyprus. His remarks were a direct response to accusations of “occupation” made by a member of the South Cyprus administration.

Öztunç argued that the 1974 military intervention brought peace to the island and prevented massacres against the Turkish Cypriot community. He drew a comparison between the violence faced by civilians in Cyprus during that era and the current situation in Palestine, stating that the suffering of innocent people and children is fundamentally similar in both contexts.

Furthermore, Öztunç criticized the South Cyprus administration's approach to negotiations. He cited the 2004 Annan Plan referendum as evidence, noting that while Turkish Cypriots supported the plan, Greek Cypriots rejected it, questioning the sincerity of calls for dialogue.