Kızılyürek to European Parliament: One-Sided Blame Game Blocks Peace in Cyprus

In a letter to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, Kızılyürek said peace cannot be built through one-sided accusations, noting that there were victims and missing persons long before 1974, most of whom were Turkish Cypriots. He argued that the initiative—proposed by Cypriot MEPs and approved by the Budget Committee—implies that the tragedy of Cyprus concerns only Greek Cypriot victims.

“The truth is that before 1974 there were also victims and missing persons on the island, and the majority of them were Turkish Cypriots,” he wrote.

Kızılyürek stressed that the ongoing division of Cyprus is both contrary to international law and inconsistent with the core values of humanity and the European Union. “As you have often said, ‘Europe will not be united until Cyprus is united.’ I fully share this view,” he told Metsola, adding that a divided member state contradicts the EU’s identity as a peace project.

He underlined that lasting peace and reconciliation are only possible through cooperation between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, and that a divided Cyprus remains an obstacle to regional stability. “It is the duty of all parties—the Turkish Cypriots, Greek Cypriots, and the European Union—to work persistently for the reunification of Cyprus. Turkey, too, has an important role to play and must be encouraged to contribute to peace,” Kızılyürek said.

Highlighting that the primary responsibility lies with Cypriots themselves, he urged both communities to find the path to peace and reconciliation, with the European Union acting as a partner. “The founding date of the European Union can serve as a beacon lighting our way forward—it must,” he added.

Kızılyürek, who authored the “European Historical Consciousness” report adopted by a large majority in the European Parliament in 2024, said the main purpose of memory policies is to promote reconciliation by learning from past mistakes. “A one-sided blame game neither delivers justice to victims nor helps build a peaceful future. If European nations had continued such blame games, the European Union would never have been born. Peace cannot be built in Cyprus through a one-sided blame game,” he warned.

He concluded by calling on the European Parliament to honor all victims of the Cyprus tragedy, saying, “As Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, it is our duty to learn from our past mistakes and commemorate all victims of the Cyprus tragedy. I trust that you will do everything possible to support this goal.”