The Greek Cypriot side is acting in a manner which is “pathetic and childish”, the north’s ‘foreign minister’ Tahsin Ertugruloglu said on Thursday.

Speaking to Gundem Kibris Web TV, he criticised the Greek Cypriot side’s stance towards the Turkish Cypriots, saying, “there have always been provocative actions”.

“Let us know what kind of mindset the people we are facing have. Let us take precautions knowing that they are hostile towards us. These are the Greek Cypriots. I am sure there are exceptional cases among them, but the Greek Cypriot side has never been ruled by those exceptional cases,” he said.

He pointed out the rise of Elam, saying the party “increases its number of MPs in every election”, while speaking of “physical attacks” and “insults to Turks” carried out by party members.

“If you call a people with this structure the Republic of Cyprus and give them international status, you will be the ones who created the Cyprus problem. It is easy to criticise south Cyprus. What should be criticised are the great powers who gave this opportunity to the Greek Cypriot people,” he said.

On this matter, he criticised those who “created the United Nations parameters” for a solution to the Cyprus problem, saying that “they are the ones who prevent a solution”.

“It is shameful to present those who do not think like us as solution-oriented and those who think like us as those who are not. We are the real solution-oriented ones,” he said.

He went on to say that the Cyprus problem “cannot be resolved through negotiations with the current parameters”, and added, “if you do not tell this people what the problem is and if you engage in unrealistic politics just to look good, you will be doing them a disservice”.

“If you want a step towards a solution to the Cyprus problem, the parameters need to change. Parameters which have proven to be unsuccessful are still being discussed … We have negotiated for 60 years. If the Greek Cypriots’ goal was a federal partnership, they would have delivered,” he said.

He went on to say that during the course of the last 60 years, “the south has eliminated every possibility of an agreement”, but that now, “the Turkish side has a new line”.

“The UN security council is still making the same mistakes and acting as if it expects a different result. It is our duty to emphasise that this is not the case. If we are talking about a solution to the Cyprus problem, these parameters need to change. It is inevitable that a new UN security council decision will be issued,” he said.

He was also keen to stress the importance, as he sees it, of the Turkish Cypriots having their own state.

“It needs to be seen how important it is to have a state. We should never fall into this mentality of guilt into which the external powers are trying to put us. Those who put us into this situation should be ashamed,” he said.