"I have no intention whatsoever to visit southern Cyprus," said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, when asked about a statement, according to Turkish journalists, by the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, that he would invite him to visit the Republic of Cyprus during the Cypriot Presidency of the EU. The Turkish President also reiterated his support for a "two-state" solution in Cyprus.
Returning from the occupied territories to Turkey, the Turkish President, answering questions from Turkish journalists on the plane, said that "I have no intention of visiting the south. Just as they do not recognize the TRNC as a state, we do not recognize southern Cyprus as a state. Therefore, a meeting with them has no place in my book. These are marginal initiatives that do not reflect the will of the Turkish Cypriot people," he said.
He added that “Turkish Cypriots are part of our very existence. No one can harm this bond of love between us. They cannot call the hero children of Turkey, who went to the island of Cyprus exclusively for peace, occupiers. The Turkish Cypriot people do not question the guarantorship of their motherland, Turkey, and its legal presence on the island. Any betrayal committed while historical truths and our national memory are evident will, of course, be punished by the Turkish Cypriot people at the ballot box.”
He argued that “the Greek Cypriot side has repeatedly proven that it does not want a solution. It does not want equality and justice. It wants to make Turkish Cypriots pariahs in their own homeland. Some foolish individuals are openly facilitating this. The key to a solution in Cyprus is a two-state solution. There will be no compromise on this. Turkey’s policy on Cyprus is clear: we will not participate in any process that does not guarantee the sovereign equality and security of the Turkish Cypriot people,” he said.
Referring to the projects financed by Turkey in the pseudo-state, the Turkish President said that “we held the opening and foundation ceremonies of some facilities at the Cumhuriyet University Campus, which opened in May. The new Nicosia State Hospital, whose foundations we laid, will be, God willing, one of the largest investments in the healthcare sector on the island. Thanks to the Nicosia Northern Ring Road junction and the 4,5-kilometer section we inaugurated, we have completed a significant part of the total 21-kilometer project.”
He said that “this project, completed in less than a year, will not only reduce traffic congestion in Nicosia, but will also speed up the connection between Morphou and Lefkas with Ercan Airport. The new Varosha Health Center, which we inaugurated today, will facilitate access to healthcare for the local population in the fenced-off area of 1.000 square meters. As it is seen today, as a homeland and a guarantor power, we will continue to support the Turkish Cypriots in their steps towards a prosperous future,” he said.
The Turkish President said that "we continue and will continue to work to ensure the well-being of our Turkish Cypriot brothers. The TRNC is supported in every area of need through economic and financial cooperation agreements."
The Turkish President said that "the peace operation in Cyprus, which we launched 51 years ago, within the framework of our rights and obligations arising from international agreements, shattered the dream of the Union. Our heroic Armed Forces, with the support of our Turkish Cypriot brothers and the mujahideen, brought peace and tranquility to the island, ending the bloodshed and tears that had been shed since 1963. Indeed, not a single drop of blood has been shed on the island for half a century. This peaceful atmosphere will continue for many more years with the resolute support of Turkey. Turkish Cypriots will live freely in their homeland forever."
The Turkish President said that during his visit, he met with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar. "We reiterated our support for the TRNC. We reaffirmed our commitment to the vision of a two-state solution in Cyprus and to the fact that there are two separate peoples and two separate states on the island," he said.
Source: KYPE
