Özgür Özel reacts to 'occupier' remark by Greek Cypriot representative: Walks out of the hall

Özel attended the Socialist International Presidium meeting. He was accompanied by a delegation consisting of CHP Secretary General Selin Sayek Böke, Youth Branch Chairman Gençosman Killik, Deputy Chairman responsible for Foreign Affairs İlhan Uzgel, Istanbul MP Namık Tan, and Çeşme Mayor Lal Denizli. Speaking during the first session, Özel brought up Israel's attacks on Palestine and the Palestinian people, proposing that the next Socialist International meeting be held in the Palestinian city of Ramallah.

Stefanos Stefanou, General Secretary of the Greek Cypriot AKEL party, described the Cyprus Peace Operation as an "occupation" during his speech at the meeting. Reacting to Stefanou's words, Özel first left the meeting hall and later took the floor to express his objection.

Özel stated, "The important part for my party is that the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation was carried out during a CHP government and under the premiership of our party's 3rd Chairman, Bülent Ecevit. Therefore, if I do not make this note here, it would become an inexplicable situation for me and my party in my country. Thank you for your understanding."

Özel made the following remarks:

"When Bülent Ecevit announced the Peace Operation to the whole world, he said it was done to bring peace to both Turks and Greeks. And the operation was a military operation with political objectives. They advanced only up to one-third of the island and stopped. There was no resistance. They could have taken the entire island. Then it would have been called an occupation. Since that day, just as we have participated in all peace negotiations, Turkey has been a country that has fulfilled everything requested by the United Nations or other international organizations and has never, ever acted like an occupier. That is why I wanted to correct a terminological error. I hope that peace will come to the island from now on.

They staged a coup in Turkey in 1980. Kenan Evren whispered into my right ear that the Greeks and Greek Cypriots were enemies. But at the Dikili Peace Festival, Papandreou and İsmail Cem planted an olive tree together. Since that day, my left ear has heard and learned peace from them. That is why we must talk about peace, not war."

News Source: 12punto