Ceremony held to officially open the “Republic Complex”, consisting of the newly built Presidency and the Parliamentary Assembly buildings in Lefkoşa, by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye and President Ersin Tatar
“Today is a historical day. We are officially opening the new Presidency and Parliamentary buildings that represents the Turkish Cypriot People’s struggle for the international acceptance of their sovereignty, independence and State."
The newly constructed “Republic Complex” – that includes the Presidency and Parliamentary Assembly buildings covering an area of 639,475 square meters, has been officially opened in a grand ceremony by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye, and President Ersin Tatar.
President Tatar, who addressed the audience at the auditorium of the new Presidency following the ribbon cutting ceremony, stated that “these buildings have not been constructed for any individual, but for better and more qualified public services for our country and the Turkish Cypriot People”.
President Tatar said: “Today is a momentous day for all of us, and we are honoured and proud to be inaugurating the new buildings of the Presidential complex and Parliamentary Assembly. We are proud because we have once again completed a very important project, providing a permanent monument to serve our State and People.”
“Today, we are not merely opening new buildings,” President Tatar continued. “Today, we are all witnessing a historical moment where our sovereignty and our State have come together through contemporary design and architecture in accordance with the will of the Turkish Cypriot people, whose roots date back to 1571.”
President Tatar emphasised that the new “Presidency, Parliamentary Assembly, Supreme Court, national library, mosque and national park -- that will form the Republic Complex, is a symbol that the “presence of Turkish Cypriot people in these lands is not coincidental but historical, legitimate and permanent”.
“This important project, which is modern in every aspect and designed to be environmentally friendly, is befitting of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and our people,” the President said.
President Tatar, who explained how the idea came about to construct a new Presidency and Parliamentary complex, said: “Following a meeting with President Erdoğan, who was paying a visit to the TRNC in November 2020 to participate in our Republic Day celebrations, we wanted to hold a press conference in front of the building -- known as the Presidential Mansion, but we were unable to do so because of rainy weather. It was at this point that I turned to President Erdoğan and said that the Presidency – a relatively small building dating back to the colonial period, was not able to accommodate the ever-growing needs as a functioning Presidency, nor was it an appropriate work place that was befitting for our State.”
Expressing the inadequacy of the old presidency, President Tatar explained: “President Erdoğan in response emphasised that the construction of a new Presidential complex would provide an exemplary institutional image of our State and the promotion of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to the world”.
“Following the expression of strong support from Türkiye, we took initiative and undertook intensive work to locate an appropriate and large piece of land which we found in the Metehan region that would accommodate the new Republic Complex,” President Tatar explained.
“In a subsequent meeting with President Erdoğan, I explained that we had identified a large piece of land suitable for the project, where on the larger section of the land could be built a national park where people of all ages can relax, breathe and enjoy the environment – that is an urgent and important need of our people, and that the buildings of the Republic Complex we have imagined could be constructed on the remaining part,” President Tatar said.
President Tatar added: “Following consultations, an agreement was reached to construct a new Presidency building and a new Republican Assembly building in the area where we are located today. However, this was not enough. The project also included the provision of a new service building with modern facilities for our Supreme Court, one of the most important elements of our democracy. In addition, a modern national library building, a mosque, an amphitheatre, sports facilities and sections that will serve the needs of our people were planned within the national park area that will form part of the Republic Complex.”
Stating that construction of the complex had been started in 2022, President Tatar said: “This important project, which is befitting of our State and our people, is modern in every aspect, and has been designed to be environmentally friendly.”
“This complex is a new cornerstone of the historical bond and solidarity that exists between Türkiye and the TRNC”
Noting that “many local companies of the TRNC participated in the project”, President Tatar said that there are “important marks and services of Turkish Cypriot firms in every aspect of the complex”, adding: “I would like to once again express my gratitude, in your presence to my esteemed brother, the President of the Republic of Türkiye, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has guided us with his vision in this important project, to turn a dream into a reality, and for his strong support to the Turkish Cypriot people and the TRNC. I would especially like to thank Mr. Murat Kurum, Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change of the Republic of Türkiye, for his strong will and support in the realisation of this visionary project. I would like to thank on behalf of my State every institution and organisation, company, worker, engineer and architect who took part in the planning, design and construction of this wonderful complex.”
Stating that the “unwavering spirit of solidarity and brotherhood demonstrated by the Republic of Türkiye under the leadership of President Erdoğan has once again been demonstrated through tangible results,” President Tatar stated: “I wish to underline the fact that although the Republic of Türkiye and the TRNC are separate States, they are always together as one nation looking in the same direction, believing in the same values and walking towards the same goal. This complex is a new cornerstone of this historical bond and solidarity that exists between Türkiye and the TRNC.”
“This complex has been constructed to serve our public and not for any individual”
President Tatar continued: “The Republic Complex has not been built for any individual, but to permanently provide better, efficient and qualified services to our people. It has been built to serve you. This complex is not about the coming together of stone, concrete and glass. It represents a far greater meaning. It represents the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, the final point reached in the Turkish Cypriot people's struggle for freedom and independence that has exceeded a century, and the increasingly stronger and rising presence of our State. It epitomises the fact that the Turkish presence on these lands is not coincidental, but historical, legitimate and permanent. This complex is the embodiment of our national struggle, as a sovereign people against injustice. It is an expression of the mark of our nation and a symbol of our State which has a respectable future.”
President Tatar stressed that the “TRNC, an independent nation State, will continue to exist in peace and freedom, and will stand tall on her own feet whilst preserving her brotherly ties with Türkiye and the Turkish nation”.
“At this point, I wish to pay tribute and remember with respect and gratitude our leader Dr. Fazıl Küçük, Founding President Rauf Denktaş, the Mujahideen, Mehmetçik [Turkish soldiers], and all the martyrs and veterans,” President Tatar said. “I wish they could see this momentous work that has succeeded in coming to fruition. However, we know that this structure is the reflection of that great ideal, the struggle for sovereignty and existence that they entrusted to us. This State is the greatest responsibility and the greatest pride they left to our people,” the President said.
“The Turkish Cypriot people will not surrender their future to the will of others”
In reference to the Cyprus issue, President Tatar stated that the Turkish Cypriot people were equal co-founding partners of the partnership Republic established in 1960, that was “destroyed in December 1963 after the Turkish Cypriot People were expelled from the state apparatus by force of arms by the Greek Cypriot side as part of their aspiration to unite Cyprus with Greece”.
President Tatar continued: “After they expelled us from the state apparatus by force of arms, the Turkish Cypriot People established their own institutions and demonstrated their will to stand on their own feet under their own leadership. The Cyprus Peace Operation, carried out by Motherland Türkiye as one of the guarantor powers in 1974 following the coup d’etat by the Greek junta and declaration of the so-called ‘Hellenic Republic of Cyprus’, brought security, peace and hope for the future to our people; and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was proclaimed in November 1983, which was the official expression of our people’s will in being able to determine their own destiny. Our people did not just survive on these lands, they established, preserved and carried their State into the future. Today, we are not just defending a state, we are presenting a vision. The Turkish Cypriot people are not idle, but a defining actor, and have a say in the future of the eastern Mediterranean. Our geostrategic importance is increasing from energy, security to diplomacy and stability. We are not alone. The path we are walking with Türkiye is based on a strong bond of brotherhood, trust, mutual respect and a common strategy. This unity is not only historical, but also a solid foundation for regional peace and stability.”
President Tatar stressed: “We are strong together. We exist together. We are shaping the future together. The Turkish Cypriot people are in favour of a settlement in Cyprus, however a surrender is not and cannot be a solution. If there is to be a new process, this has to be on the basis of our inherent right, namely our sovereign equality and equal international status. Turkish Cypriot People are not a minority. This state was established not as a favour to anyone, but with the resistance and political will of our people. The negotiation table cannot be established without accepting this fact. The Turkish Cypriot people will not surrender their future to the will of anyone else. We are sovereign. We are equal. We shall exist on these lands forever.”
President Tatar concluded his speech, stating: “My path has always been determined by the will of my people, and I will continue to work for the future of my country with the same belief and responsibility. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the creation of this Republic Complex. First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to our brotherly homeland Türkiye and all institutions.
How happy are those who live with honour as Turkish Cypriots.
How happy are those who closely guard their State, people and destiny.
And how happy are those who have the love for the crescent and star in their hearts.
Honourable President, I greet you all with the deepest love, respect and affection, and express my endless gratitude for your participation, and I wish for the Republic Complex to be one of blessing for our people and country. Thank you.”
President Erdoğan: “Any future negotiations will be based on sovereign equality as two States and not as two communities”
President Erdogan stated that any future negotiations on the Cyprus issue would be conducted between two States, based on "sovereign equality," and “not between two communities”.
"Until a solution that reflects the realities of the island is reached, we will not engage with or trade with the Greek Cypriot Administration," he said, adding: “The Turkish Cypriot people, who have bravely preserved their language, religion, and culture on the island for over 500 years, truly deserve to look to the future with hope and confidence more than anyone else."
He acknowledged, however, that some forces are attempting to hinder their progress.
"We are aware that there are those whose hatred and vengeance are so intense that they would expel the Turks not only from the island but even from Anatolia if they could," President Erdoğan said.
The president said those who envy the growth and international visibility of the TRNC are actively working against its development.
"As you can see, those who envy the TRNC for its growing economy, strengthening infrastructure and rising international visibility are doing everything in their power to hinder progress," President Erdoğan said.
He also emphasised strong support of the Republic of Türkiye to the Turkish Cypriot people, warning that those trying to "obstruct their development" would face Ankara’s solidarity with Lefkoşa.
“As long as we maintain our unity of hearts, our spirit of solidarity and our belief in our national cause, there will be no obstacle that we cannot overcome,” President Erdoğan said, adding: “Turkish Cypriot politics should also maintain its stability, not surrender to artificial crises and not fall into traps that aim to damage the bond of love between Türkiye and the Turkish Cypriot people.”
President Erdoğan added: “Today, we are in the pearl of the Mediterranean, the fortress of resistance, the eternal hearth of patriotism, the land where Mehmetçik (Turkish soldiers) and Mujahideen wrote history. We are in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. . . and we are here to inaugurate the magnificent works that have been brought to these lands with the motto of “A Solid State, a Respected Future.”
Stating that the Republic Complex has an area of 25,210 square meters, President Erdoğan continued: “The complex includes the Presidency building, two conference halls with a capacity for 600 people, a reception hall with a capacity for 400 people, 52 offices, 10 meeting rooms, a cafeteria and dining hall, and a parking lot for 109 vehicles.”
He noted that the Parliament building, which was built on an area of 20,000 square meters, includes the Presidency and its offices, a general assembly hall with a capacity of 157 people, office rooms for members of parliament, and a meeting hall for ministers.
He said the construction of the 452,428 square metre “National Garden” located on the compound is continuing, as is the “National Mosque” – that he said will be able to accommodate 2,252 worshipers, on an area of 5,661 square metres.
“Our surname is the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”
Reminding that he was a statesman who spent almost 50 years of his life in politics, President Erdoğan stated: “I have always said this, our political parties, lifestyles, and origins may be different. But what keeps us together is our common denominator and goals. . . Our forenames may be different, however when it comes to the Cyprus issue, our surname is the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus! All 86 million people have the same feelings and sensitivity when it comes to protecting the interests of the Turkish Cypriot people.”
Stressing that there are those who are “eager to prevent the development of the Turkish Cypriots,” President Erdoğan warned: “They will find Türkiye against them. Those who are seditious, disruptive, and those who voluntarily serve as apparatchiks to the enemies of the Turkish Cypriots will lose; the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will, God willing, endure forever with the support of guarantor Türkiye.”
“Turkish Cypriots cannot pay the price for a non-solution in Cyprus”
President Erdoğan criticised the Greek Cypriot Side, saying: “The efforts of the arrogant mentality, which does accept Turkish Cypriots with whom it has shared the same island for centuries as equals, whilst seeing and portraying itself as equal to guarantor Türkiye, is in vain. No one can make the Turkish Cypriots pay the price for a non-solution in Cyprus, or to pay the price for obstructing a solution with a spoilt behaviour. The Turkish Cypriot people have repeatedly shown their good intentions as the side who wants a permanent and fair solution. The only reason why the Greek Cypriot Administration is putting forward a position in favour of a federal based settlement which it has openly rejected in the past, is to confine the Turkish side to the table and usurp the sovereign rights of the Turkish Cypriot people. The two State settlement is the common vision of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Türkiye. If there is to be a new negotiation process, it will no longer be carried out between two communities, but between two States with sovereign equality. We also believe that the solution to the Cyprus issue is on this path, and we are continuing our efforts in this direction together with our Turkish Cypriot brothers.”
President Erdoğan underlined that “unless the unfair isolation to which the Turkish Cypriot people are subjected ends and a fair, permanent, sustainable and realistic solution is found” for the island, “there can be no question of the Republic of Türkiye. . . engaging with the Greek Cypriot Administration in trade or allowing them to use the ports of Türkiye”.
President Tatar, who addressed the audience at the auditorium of the new Presidency following the ribbon cutting ceremony, stated that “these buildings have not been constructed for any individual, but for better and more qualified public services for our country and the Turkish Cypriot People”.
President Tatar said: “Today is a momentous day for all of us, and we are honoured and proud to be inaugurating the new buildings of the Presidential complex and Parliamentary Assembly. We are proud because we have once again completed a very important project, providing a permanent monument to serve our State and People.”
“Today, we are not merely opening new buildings,” President Tatar continued. “Today, we are all witnessing a historical moment where our sovereignty and our State have come together through contemporary design and architecture in accordance with the will of the Turkish Cypriot people, whose roots date back to 1571.”
President Tatar emphasised that the new “Presidency, Parliamentary Assembly, Supreme Court, national library, mosque and national park -- that will form the Republic Complex, is a symbol that the “presence of Turkish Cypriot people in these lands is not coincidental but historical, legitimate and permanent”.
“This important project, which is modern in every aspect and designed to be environmentally friendly, is befitting of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and our people,” the President said.
President Tatar, who explained how the idea came about to construct a new Presidency and Parliamentary complex, said: “Following a meeting with President Erdoğan, who was paying a visit to the TRNC in November 2020 to participate in our Republic Day celebrations, we wanted to hold a press conference in front of the building -- known as the Presidential Mansion, but we were unable to do so because of rainy weather. It was at this point that I turned to President Erdoğan and said that the Presidency – a relatively small building dating back to the colonial period, was not able to accommodate the ever-growing needs as a functioning Presidency, nor was it an appropriate work place that was befitting for our State.”
Expressing the inadequacy of the old presidency, President Tatar explained: “President Erdoğan in response emphasised that the construction of a new Presidential complex would provide an exemplary institutional image of our State and the promotion of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to the world”.
“Following the expression of strong support from Türkiye, we took initiative and undertook intensive work to locate an appropriate and large piece of land which we found in the Metehan region that would accommodate the new Republic Complex,” President Tatar explained.
“In a subsequent meeting with President Erdoğan, I explained that we had identified a large piece of land suitable for the project, where on the larger section of the land could be built a national park where people of all ages can relax, breathe and enjoy the environment – that is an urgent and important need of our people, and that the buildings of the Republic Complex we have imagined could be constructed on the remaining part,” President Tatar said.
President Tatar added: “Following consultations, an agreement was reached to construct a new Presidency building and a new Republican Assembly building in the area where we are located today. However, this was not enough. The project also included the provision of a new service building with modern facilities for our Supreme Court, one of the most important elements of our democracy. In addition, a modern national library building, a mosque, an amphitheatre, sports facilities and sections that will serve the needs of our people were planned within the national park area that will form part of the Republic Complex.”
Stating that construction of the complex had been started in 2022, President Tatar said: “This important project, which is befitting of our State and our people, is modern in every aspect, and has been designed to be environmentally friendly.”
“This complex is a new cornerstone of the historical bond and solidarity that exists between Türkiye and the TRNC”
Noting that “many local companies of the TRNC participated in the project”, President Tatar said that there are “important marks and services of Turkish Cypriot firms in every aspect of the complex”, adding: “I would like to once again express my gratitude, in your presence to my esteemed brother, the President of the Republic of Türkiye, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has guided us with his vision in this important project, to turn a dream into a reality, and for his strong support to the Turkish Cypriot people and the TRNC. I would especially like to thank Mr. Murat Kurum, Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change of the Republic of Türkiye, for his strong will and support in the realisation of this visionary project. I would like to thank on behalf of my State every institution and organisation, company, worker, engineer and architect who took part in the planning, design and construction of this wonderful complex.”
Stating that the “unwavering spirit of solidarity and brotherhood demonstrated by the Republic of Türkiye under the leadership of President Erdoğan has once again been demonstrated through tangible results,” President Tatar stated: “I wish to underline the fact that although the Republic of Türkiye and the TRNC are separate States, they are always together as one nation looking in the same direction, believing in the same values and walking towards the same goal. This complex is a new cornerstone of this historical bond and solidarity that exists between Türkiye and the TRNC.”
“This complex has been constructed to serve our public and not for any individual”
President Tatar continued: “The Republic Complex has not been built for any individual, but to permanently provide better, efficient and qualified services to our people. It has been built to serve you. This complex is not about the coming together of stone, concrete and glass. It represents a far greater meaning. It represents the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, the final point reached in the Turkish Cypriot people's struggle for freedom and independence that has exceeded a century, and the increasingly stronger and rising presence of our State. It epitomises the fact that the Turkish presence on these lands is not coincidental, but historical, legitimate and permanent. This complex is the embodiment of our national struggle, as a sovereign people against injustice. It is an expression of the mark of our nation and a symbol of our State which has a respectable future.”
President Tatar stressed that the “TRNC, an independent nation State, will continue to exist in peace and freedom, and will stand tall on her own feet whilst preserving her brotherly ties with Türkiye and the Turkish nation”.
“At this point, I wish to pay tribute and remember with respect and gratitude our leader Dr. Fazıl Küçük, Founding President Rauf Denktaş, the Mujahideen, Mehmetçik [Turkish soldiers], and all the martyrs and veterans,” President Tatar said. “I wish they could see this momentous work that has succeeded in coming to fruition. However, we know that this structure is the reflection of that great ideal, the struggle for sovereignty and existence that they entrusted to us. This State is the greatest responsibility and the greatest pride they left to our people,” the President said.
“The Turkish Cypriot people will not surrender their future to the will of others”
In reference to the Cyprus issue, President Tatar stated that the Turkish Cypriot people were equal co-founding partners of the partnership Republic established in 1960, that was “destroyed in December 1963 after the Turkish Cypriot People were expelled from the state apparatus by force of arms by the Greek Cypriot side as part of their aspiration to unite Cyprus with Greece”.
President Tatar continued: “After they expelled us from the state apparatus by force of arms, the Turkish Cypriot People established their own institutions and demonstrated their will to stand on their own feet under their own leadership. The Cyprus Peace Operation, carried out by Motherland Türkiye as one of the guarantor powers in 1974 following the coup d’etat by the Greek junta and declaration of the so-called ‘Hellenic Republic of Cyprus’, brought security, peace and hope for the future to our people; and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was proclaimed in November 1983, which was the official expression of our people’s will in being able to determine their own destiny. Our people did not just survive on these lands, they established, preserved and carried their State into the future. Today, we are not just defending a state, we are presenting a vision. The Turkish Cypriot people are not idle, but a defining actor, and have a say in the future of the eastern Mediterranean. Our geostrategic importance is increasing from energy, security to diplomacy and stability. We are not alone. The path we are walking with Türkiye is based on a strong bond of brotherhood, trust, mutual respect and a common strategy. This unity is not only historical, but also a solid foundation for regional peace and stability.”
President Tatar stressed: “We are strong together. We exist together. We are shaping the future together. The Turkish Cypriot people are in favour of a settlement in Cyprus, however a surrender is not and cannot be a solution. If there is to be a new process, this has to be on the basis of our inherent right, namely our sovereign equality and equal international status. Turkish Cypriot People are not a minority. This state was established not as a favour to anyone, but with the resistance and political will of our people. The negotiation table cannot be established without accepting this fact. The Turkish Cypriot people will not surrender their future to the will of anyone else. We are sovereign. We are equal. We shall exist on these lands forever.”
President Tatar concluded his speech, stating: “My path has always been determined by the will of my people, and I will continue to work for the future of my country with the same belief and responsibility. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the creation of this Republic Complex. First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to our brotherly homeland Türkiye and all institutions.
How happy are those who live with honour as Turkish Cypriots.
How happy are those who closely guard their State, people and destiny.
And how happy are those who have the love for the crescent and star in their hearts.
Honourable President, I greet you all with the deepest love, respect and affection, and express my endless gratitude for your participation, and I wish for the Republic Complex to be one of blessing for our people and country. Thank you.”
President Erdoğan: “Any future negotiations will be based on sovereign equality as two States and not as two communities”
President Erdogan stated that any future negotiations on the Cyprus issue would be conducted between two States, based on "sovereign equality," and “not between two communities”.
"Until a solution that reflects the realities of the island is reached, we will not engage with or trade with the Greek Cypriot Administration," he said, adding: “The Turkish Cypriot people, who have bravely preserved their language, religion, and culture on the island for over 500 years, truly deserve to look to the future with hope and confidence more than anyone else."
He acknowledged, however, that some forces are attempting to hinder their progress.
"We are aware that there are those whose hatred and vengeance are so intense that they would expel the Turks not only from the island but even from Anatolia if they could," President Erdoğan said.
The president said those who envy the growth and international visibility of the TRNC are actively working against its development.
"As you can see, those who envy the TRNC for its growing economy, strengthening infrastructure and rising international visibility are doing everything in their power to hinder progress," President Erdoğan said.
He also emphasised strong support of the Republic of Türkiye to the Turkish Cypriot people, warning that those trying to "obstruct their development" would face Ankara’s solidarity with Lefkoşa.
“As long as we maintain our unity of hearts, our spirit of solidarity and our belief in our national cause, there will be no obstacle that we cannot overcome,” President Erdoğan said, adding: “Turkish Cypriot politics should also maintain its stability, not surrender to artificial crises and not fall into traps that aim to damage the bond of love between Türkiye and the Turkish Cypriot people.”
President Erdoğan added: “Today, we are in the pearl of the Mediterranean, the fortress of resistance, the eternal hearth of patriotism, the land where Mehmetçik (Turkish soldiers) and Mujahideen wrote history. We are in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. . . and we are here to inaugurate the magnificent works that have been brought to these lands with the motto of “A Solid State, a Respected Future.”
Stating that the Republic Complex has an area of 25,210 square meters, President Erdoğan continued: “The complex includes the Presidency building, two conference halls with a capacity for 600 people, a reception hall with a capacity for 400 people, 52 offices, 10 meeting rooms, a cafeteria and dining hall, and a parking lot for 109 vehicles.”
He noted that the Parliament building, which was built on an area of 20,000 square meters, includes the Presidency and its offices, a general assembly hall with a capacity of 157 people, office rooms for members of parliament, and a meeting hall for ministers.
He said the construction of the 452,428 square metre “National Garden” located on the compound is continuing, as is the “National Mosque” – that he said will be able to accommodate 2,252 worshipers, on an area of 5,661 square metres.
“Our surname is the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”
Reminding that he was a statesman who spent almost 50 years of his life in politics, President Erdoğan stated: “I have always said this, our political parties, lifestyles, and origins may be different. But what keeps us together is our common denominator and goals. . . Our forenames may be different, however when it comes to the Cyprus issue, our surname is the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus! All 86 million people have the same feelings and sensitivity when it comes to protecting the interests of the Turkish Cypriot people.”
Stressing that there are those who are “eager to prevent the development of the Turkish Cypriots,” President Erdoğan warned: “They will find Türkiye against them. Those who are seditious, disruptive, and those who voluntarily serve as apparatchiks to the enemies of the Turkish Cypriots will lose; the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will, God willing, endure forever with the support of guarantor Türkiye.”
“Turkish Cypriots cannot pay the price for a non-solution in Cyprus”
President Erdoğan criticised the Greek Cypriot Side, saying: “The efforts of the arrogant mentality, which does accept Turkish Cypriots with whom it has shared the same island for centuries as equals, whilst seeing and portraying itself as equal to guarantor Türkiye, is in vain. No one can make the Turkish Cypriots pay the price for a non-solution in Cyprus, or to pay the price for obstructing a solution with a spoilt behaviour. The Turkish Cypriot people have repeatedly shown their good intentions as the side who wants a permanent and fair solution. The only reason why the Greek Cypriot Administration is putting forward a position in favour of a federal based settlement which it has openly rejected in the past, is to confine the Turkish side to the table and usurp the sovereign rights of the Turkish Cypriot people. The two State settlement is the common vision of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Türkiye. If there is to be a new negotiation process, it will no longer be carried out between two communities, but between two States with sovereign equality. We also believe that the solution to the Cyprus issue is on this path, and we are continuing our efforts in this direction together with our Turkish Cypriot brothers.”
President Erdoğan underlined that “unless the unfair isolation to which the Turkish Cypriot people are subjected ends and a fair, permanent, sustainable and realistic solution is found” for the island, “there can be no question of the Republic of Türkiye. . . engaging with the Greek Cypriot Administration in trade or allowing them to use the ports of Türkiye”.