Erdoğan pushes for two-state deal in Cyprus
NICOSIA
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated his call for a two-state solution to the Cyprus issue during a visit to Nicosia on July 20, marking the 51st anniversary of Türkiye’s military operation on the divided island.
"Turkish Cypriots do not have another 60 years to lose," Erdoğan told a crowd during celebrations that culminated with a military parade.
He was in Nicosia to participate in a series of inauguration and groundbreaking events on the anniversary of a Turkish military operation in 1974.
"We cannot waste time with U.N. parameters, which are an exhausted model," Erdoğan said. "There is no point in insisting on a solution model that has been tried and failed many times."
He expressed strong support for the two-state solution championed by Turkish Cypriot President Ersin Tatar.
"I am making a call to the entire world from here. The international community must recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, establish economic and political relations as soon as possible and open the way for direct trade," Erdoğan said.
"Every step we take is not just a building or a road, but a symbol of our brotherhood and our belief in a common future. We are here for the unity of the Turkish Cypriots, and we will always be here."
The president said Türkiye remains in "full harmony" with Turkish Cyprus in shaping its political and economic path.
The anniversary was observed with a range of events across Türkiye and Turkish Cyprus, including commemorations, concerts, sports competitions, conferences and symposiums.
Türkiye launched its military operation on July 20, 1974, five days after a Greek junta-backed coup in Cyprus aimed to annex the island to Greece.
A 2004 United Nations reunification plan was rejected by Greek Cypriot voters in a referendum, resulting in the southern part joining the European Union as the sole recognized government, while Turkish Cypriots were left out of the full benefits of membership.
The northern part is recognized only by Ankara, and U.N.-mediated reunification efforts have been stalled since the collapse of talks in 2017.
On July 16-17, U.N. chief Antonio Guterres held an informal meeting in New York with Tatar, Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and representatives from the three guarantor countries — Türkiye, Greece and the United Kingdom.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Greek counterpart, Giorgos Gerapetritis, attended the gathering, along with British State Minister Stephen Doughty.
Guterres later described the meetings as “constructive,” adding that participants expressed a willingness to resume dialogue in the coming months.
Tatar, however, said formal talks would not resume until the sovereign equality and equal international status of Turkish Cyprus is recognized.
