President Erdoğan: “Efforts towards a comprehensive solution in Cyprus have failed due to attitude of Greek Cypriots”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan yesterday paid a one-day official visit to the TRNC. He held a one-to-one meeting with President Mustafa Akıncı and an inter-delegation meeting at the Presidency, before a joint press conference was held.

In his speech at the joint press conference, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Turkey has always supported and will continue to support the Turkish Cypriot people. Erdoğan added that the water supply project from Turkey to Cyprus is significant for the island and an important step for strengthening the Turkish Cypriots’ strategic and economic position.

Turkish President Erdoğan stated that many issues, including the latest stage reached at the negotiations, were discussed during his meeting with President Akıncı. He also highlighted that he came together with Prime Minister Erhürman and government authorities at the working dinner. Erdoğan stressed that Cyprus is a national cause for Turkey, and that the aim is to reach a just and permanent solution in Cyprus.

The President went on to state that the Turkish Cypriot side has made every effort over the last 50 years to reach a settlement, but the talks at the Conference on Cyprus, which ended a year ago, had failed due to the fact that the Greek Cypriot side continues to see itself as the sole proprietor of the island. He emphasised that they have no intention to establish a partnership or share political power with the Turkish Cypriots and added that, that mentality has not changed at all in a year.

Indicating that nobody should doubt that the Greek Cypriots are looking away from a common future with the Turkish Cypriots, Erdoğan said that Turkey will not allow the Turkish Cypriots to be a victim of this deadlock or become a minority in a Greek Cypriot state.

President Erdoğan mentioned that Turkey will continue to contribute to a solution that will promote the development of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean, and expressed that Turkey will continue to support the Turkish Cypriots in the future as it has been in the past.