New book explores ‘True Story of Turkish Cypriots’

The Turkish communications director on Sunday expressed hope that the book “Who’s to Blame? Today Cannot Be Considered Apart from the Past,” which explores the history of the Cyprus issue, will be well-received.

In a statement on his social media account, Fahrettin Altun said: “The book ‘Who’s to Blame? Today Cannot Be Considered Apart from the Past,’ which sheds light on the ethnic and political tensions on the island of Cyprus from the 1960s to the present with documents and suggests referring to the past to understand today’s problems, has been published in Turkish and English by our Directorate of Communications.

“I hope this valuable book, which we believe will contribute to a better understanding of the true story of the Turkish Cypriots worldwide, will be auspicious.”

The island of Cyprus has been mired in a decadeslong dispute between Greek and Turkish Cypriots despite a series of diplomatic efforts to achieve a comprehensive settlement.

Ethnic attacks starting in the early 1960s forced Turkish Cypriots to withdraw into enclaves for their safety.

In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at Greece’s annexation of the island led to Türkiye’s military intervention as a guarantor power to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence. As a result, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was founded in 1983. July 20, the anniversary of the operation, is celebrated yearly in the TRNC as Peace and Freedom Day.

The Greek Cypriot administration was admitted to the European Union in 2004, despite the Greek Cypriots thwarting a U.N. plan to end the longstanding dispute in the same year.

Türkiye fully supports a two-state solution on the island of Cyprus based on sovereign equality and equal international status.