The Presidents of the Republic of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus;

Recalling their Joint Declaration issued on 28 December 1995;

Reaffirming their desire and determination to develop, in a spirit of full solidarity and cooperation, the relations between Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in all fields;

Recalling that Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus have made every effort for the finding of a peaceful solution to the Cyprus question and that a just and realistic settlement in Cyprus can only be achieved through negotiations based on the free will of the two parties;

Emphasizing the rights of the Turkish Cypriot people emanating from international agreements and their political and legal equality stipulated by these agreements;

Reaffirming that the system of guarantee established by the 1960 Treaties will continue to be valid and in force under all circumstances as it has been up to now and that, under these treaties, no threat can be directed at any of the guarantor powers;

Reviewing the latest developments which have threatened peace, security and stability in Cyrus and the Eastern Mediterranean;

Announce the following joint views and decisions:

1. The continuing intensive military build- up by the Greek Cypriot side, the "Joint Defence Doctrine" between Greece and the Greek Cypriot Administration, and the construction of air force and navy bases for Greece in Southern Cyrus have created a situation which threatens stability and security in Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean.

2. The decision to deploy missile systems in Southern Cyprus has aggravated the crisis of confidence between the two peoples of the island to such an extent that reconciliation has become extremely difficult.

3.The claim that these missiles have a defensive purpose, and the so-called "assurances" to the effect that they will not be deployed in the island for some time are meaningless. The point to be borne in mind is that the joint Greek-Greek Cypriot front, despite all warnings, has turned its back on reconciliation and opted for conflict as its priority objective, forming a de facto military alliance between Greece and Southern Cyprus

4. Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, without loosing sight of a responsible, common-sense approach, will take the necessary measures, in order to preserve the balance in Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean, and to render ineffective policies which threaten the peace in the region.

In this context;

- The Republic of Turkey, in accordance with the 1960 system of guarantees will continue to provide full effective guarantee to the Turkish Cypriot people, and will not let the security of the Turkish Cypriots come under threat.

- Any attack against the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will be considered as an attack against the Republic of Turkey.

- In the event that the joint Greek-Greek Cypriot front continues its endevours to alter the balance between Turkey and Greece, in Cyprus or in the region, and to endanger the security of the Turkish Cypriot people, reciprocal military and political measures will continue to be put into effect without hesitation. Within this framework, Turkey strongly supports the views put forward and measures envisaged by the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, H.E. Mr. Rauf Denktas in the statement he made on 10 January 1997.

- In view of the fact that, with air force and navy bases, Greece is entrenching it self in Southern Cyprus, and in the event that such activity continues, work will commence to establish in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus similar air force and naval facilities.

- Any aggression or faite accompli directed against Turkey or the TRNC will be jointly confronted, and the military planing and coordination necessary for this will be done. To this end, a joint military concept between Turkey and the TRNC will be established.

5. Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus consider the activities and provocations planned and carried out by the joint Greek-Greek Cypriot front in order to escalate tension in Cyprus as part of its efforts to dilute Turkey's effective guarantees, by bringing in a multinational force. This shall not be allowed. In the event that an attempt is made to alter, either directly or indirectly the Treaties of Guarantees and of Alliance, the Turkish side will consider it as a flagrant violation of the 1960 Treaties and will take the necessary measures and political decisions.

6. The efforts for the finding of a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus question reached an impasse about five years ago because of the Greek Cypriot side's rejection of the U.N. Set of ideas, while the efforts to establish confidence between the two peoples of the Island came to a deadlock about three years ago due to the other side's rejection of the Confidence-Building Measures (CBM) package. During the time that has since elapsed, the Greek Cypriot side has totally distanced itself from the parameters of a reasonable solution.

7. It will be seen that the Greek Cypriot side, together with Greece, has been seeking tension and conflict, rather than reconciliation.

8. Ever since 1963 when the Greek Cypriots, with the support of Greece, destroyed by force of arms the partnership which had been established between the two peoples under the 1960 Agreements, there has been no joint state, government, parliament, judiciary or administration competent to represent the two equal peoples and speak on behalf of the island as a whole.

9. The claim of the Greek Cypriot administration in the south of the island to the title and privileges of the 1960 partnership, which itself had destroyed by its own aggression, as well as all those deeds and actions including the purchase of weaponry, are illegal under international treaties. This claim utilized by the Greek Cypriot administration in presenting itself to the outside world cannot confer upon it any legitimacy. The administration in South Cyprus, which attempts to introduce itself under the banner of the " Republic of Cyprus " is factually a Greek Cypriot administration. At the root of the lack of a solution to the Cyprus question in the last 34 years are the Greek Cypriot side's efforts to perpetuate its illegal title and claims.

10. So long as these facts, realities and the sovereign rights of the Turkish Cypriot people are not recognized and the two sides are not treated in an equal manner, the achievement of a just and lasting settlement in Cyprus will not be in reach.

11. The point that has been reached shows that the green light given by the EU, as a result of the pressures exerted by Greece, to the full membership of the Greek Cypriot administration in the Union, constitutes a historic error which has had a destructive effect on the negotiating process. The Greek Cypriot side has no other interest than entering the European Union as a second Greek state and thus achiveing an indirect integration with Greece, without having to seek a settlement with the Turkish side in Cyprus.

12. To ensure that this wrong track does not lead to further damages, it must be made known that:

-Under International Treaties, Cyprus can only become a member of a union of which Turkey and Greece are both members.

-The membership of Cyprus in the EU can only be entertained after a settlement.

-The two peoples of the island have to approve such a decision through separate referenda as foreseen in the UN Set of Ideas.

-The Turkish side will consider the start of accession negotiations between the Greek Cypriot administration and the EU, based on the unilateral application of the Greek Cypriot side for full membership in contravention of international law, as the complete abolition of the framework and parameters for a solution which have emerged during the negotiating process in Cyprus. Each and every unilateral step to be taken by the Greek Cypriot Administration towards the EU membership will accelerate the integration process between Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

13. The continued isolation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus from the international community cannot be accepted under any circumstances. Turkey will take the necessary steps to ensure the integration of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus with the international community. TRNC Representatives will be included in the ranks of the Turkish delegations which attend any international meeting concerning Cyprus, where the Turkish Cypriot people do not have a voice.

14. Economic relations between Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will be expanded within the framework of the comprehensive Economic Protocol signed on 3 January 1997 at the Prime Ministerial level and the TRNC economy will be strengthened through specific cooperation projects.

15. The standing political consultation mechanism instituted by the 28 December 1995 Declaration issued by the Presidents of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will be expanded so as to include defence issues, and the existing solidarity between the two sides will be strengthened.

Ankara, 20 January 1997