President Erdoğan: Cyprus is our national cause

AKP Chairman and President Erdoğan stated, "We believe that the most realistic solution to the Cyprus issue lies in the coexistence of two states on the island."

Erdoğan and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus President Tufan Erhürman made important statements at a joint press conference.

Here are the highlights from Erdoğan's statements:

We held a very comprehensive and productive meeting with the esteemed President and his valuable delegation. We evaluated the steps that can be taken in the coming period regarding the Cyprus issue. Our stance on the Cyprus cause has been clear.

The Greek side does not want to share either political power or economic prosperity with the Turks on the island. The Greek side views the partnership state it seized in 1963 as a means to reduce the Turkish Cypriots to a minority. We must keep in mind that the EU, which accepted the Greek administration as a member, is also at fault here. The promises made have not been kept either.

The esteemed President knows this process very well due to his experience. I find it very justified that he states in his messages to the Greek side that the sovereignty of the Turkish Cypriots will not be compromised.

We maintain our position that the two peoples on the island can live in peace. We are in a very different international conjuncture today. You cannot dry today's laundry with yesterday's sun. Trying to dig a well with a needle using the rote memorization of the old era will not get us anywhere. To make this possible, we will continue our constructive, result-oriented, fair, and humane approach together with the Turkish Cypriot people. Cyprus is our national cause.

We also discussed what we can do to accelerate our cooperation with the esteemed President. We evaluated the projects we have implemented for the Turkish Cypriots. These efforts of ours will continue with the same determination in the future. Our political and diplomatic efforts will continue in coordination to ensure that the TRNC is represented worthily in the international arena. As the motherland and a guarantor country, we will never leave the Turkish Cypriot people alone, just as we do not today.

"THE PATH TO A SOLUTION IS DIALOGUE AND NEGOTIATION"

TRNC President Tufan Erhürman made the following statements at the joint press conference:

As everyone in the world knows, TRNC-Turkey relations are so special that they cannot be compared to our relations with other states. TRNC Presidents have made their first visits to Turkey in every period. This will, of course, be the case during my term as the new President of the TRNC. I am extremely happy to be making this visit today. I would like to state that making our bonds of brotherhood and my country and people more known to the Turkish public will be one of the most important tasks for me.

News Source: 12punto