Yıldırım: “Turkey’s guarantees on Cyprus cannot be given up or abolished”
16 January, 2017President Akıncı evaluated the Cyprus Conference and the negotiation process in Geneva
16 January, 2017
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan responded to questions from the media about the agenda in the Cyprus negotiations.
When asked about the Cyprus negotiation process, Erdoğan stated that TRNC is working intensely and sincerely, but South Cyprus and Greece, still have different expectations. Erdoğan highlighted that nobody should expect a solution without Turkey as a guarantor, and that Turkey will remain in Cyprus forever.
Erdoğan also mentioned that Turkey and Greece could keep the previously agreed number of soldiers on the island: 950 Greek troops and 650 Turkish troops.
Commenting on demands that all Turkish troops be withdrawn from the island, Erdoğan added that a full withdrawal of Turkish troops was out of the question. “If such is being thought of, then both sides need to pull out all of their soldiers” he said.