Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Thursday that the “most realistic solution” for Cyprus is the continued coexistence of two separate states, as he hosted the newly elected leader of the island’s Turkish Cypriot administration, a politician who campaigned on restarting reunification talks.
Tufan Erhürman, elected in October as president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC), made his first official visit to Ankara after defeating outgoing leader Ersin Tatar, who had been Erdoğan’s preferred candidate. The KKTC is recognized only by Turkey.
Erhürman supports new negotiations with the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus and has long argued for a federal settlement. But Erdoğan made clear on Thursday that Ankara still backs a permanent two-state arrangement on the island, which has been divided since a Turkish military intervention in 1974 following a Greek-backed coup.
“We believe that the most realistic solution to the Cyprus issue lies in the coexistence of two states on the island,” Erdoğan told reporters at a joint press conference in Ankara. “We will continue our sincere efforts toward a solution where the two peoples can live side by side in peace, prosperity and security.”
Erhürman said Turkish Cypriots are one of the two “equal founding partners” of Cyprus and that this status “is not open to discussion, negotiation or compromise.” He added that Turkish Cypriots would join any renewed negotiations, but until such talks begin, they would pursue dialogue that builds trust, improves daily life and seeks “win-win” cooperation with the Greek Cypriots.
The last major round of UN-led reunification talks collapsed in Switzerland in 2017. The leaders of both communities met again in New York in July for what UN Secretary-General António Guterres called “constructive” talks, but no breakthrough followed.
© Agence France-Presse