Diplomatic disagreement over May 19 events

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has issued a statement rejecting the Republic of Cyprus Foreign Ministry's characterization of May 19, 1919, as the Pontic Greek Genocide. The TRNC authorities argue that May 19 represents the beginning of the Turkish national resistance against occupation and partition. Furthermore, the TRNC statement rejects allegations of genocide, claiming they conceal crimes committed by imperialist powers and local factions during that era. Regarding Cyprus, the Turkish side asserts that Turkey's 1974 military intervention was a justified act of protection following the expulsion of Turkish Cypriots by EOKA and the Greek junta between 1963 and 1974. The TRNC calls on the Greek Cypriot side to abandon what it terms hate speech and instead engage with historical events objectively. This exchange highlights the fundamentally different historical narratives held by the two sides concerning both the 1919 events and the Cyprus conflict.