PRESIDENT ERDOĞAN
‘Turkish Cypriots’ only demand is the recognition of their status’
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President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed the members of his party via video conference on the occasion of the Sacrifice Feast on July 20-23.
Speaking about the situation in Cpyrus in the wake of his visit to Northern Cyprus, Erdoğan has said that Ankara "will continue its efforts to secure international recognition for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus."
Erdoğan has said, "We will make every possible effort to ensure recognition of the Turkish Cypriot state as soon as possible."
As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), he has once again stressed that "the only demand of Turkish Cypriots in international talks on the Cyprus issue is for their sovereign state status to be recognized," a recognition currently only given by Turkey.
"All other offers and proposals are not valid anymore," he has added.
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Having returned from a two-day visit to Northern Cyprus, where he reiterated his support for a two-state solution and the need for both sides of the island to be recognized as equals, Erdoğan said, "No one should expect the Turkish Cypriots to give up their equal status and sovereignty, and to accept to live as a minority as per the will of the Greek Cypriots."
"First of all, the sovereign equality and equal status of the Turkish Cypriots should be confirmed. This is the key to the solution," he said.
The Cyprus disputeIn the Republic of Cyprus, which was founded in 1960, both communities had the right of representation in all institutions (70 percent for Greeks and 30 percent for Turks). Cyprus has been divided since 1974. Two-thirds of the island is governed by Greek Cypriots. It is internationally recognized as the Republic of Cyprus and it is a member of the European Union (EU). As for the northern part of the island, which is called the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) by Turkish Cypriots, it is a country with a population of 300,000 and is only recognized by Turkey. |
(RT/SD)