Erdoğan says Cyprus must be recognized as two states
President Erdoğan has said that the new Cyprus talks should begin between two states and not communities. “Rejecting a two-state solution means rejecting the sovereignty, equality, independence and state of the Turkish Cypriot people," he said.
Duvar English - Anadolu Agency
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said that Cyprus must be recognized as two states, as he commented on possible new talks.
“If there are to be new talks on Cyprus, these should no longer be between two communities, but between two states," Erdoğan said on May 22.
Saying that the equal status and sovereign equality of Turkish Cypriots must be confirmed before fresh negotiations could begin, Erdoğan said the latest Cyprus talks held informally in Geneva last month had been inconclusive due to the "intransigent attitude of the Greek side, detached from the facts on island."
Erdoğan said the recent unofficial 5+UN meeting on Cyprus in Geneva at the end of April marked a turning point in "the struggle for independence and the future."
"As Turkey, we have fully supported the proposals made in Geneva by the Turkish Cypriot side under the leadership of my dear brother [Ersin Tatar]. On this occasion, I would like to congratulate Mr. President Tatar on his leadership in Geneva and his determined stance,” said Erdoğan.
“Rejecting a two-state solution means rejecting the sovereignty, equality, independence and state of the Turkish Cypriot people. Neither we nor the Turkish Cyprus consent to such injustice, such usurpation of rights. In particular, we will never allow the Turkish Cypriots’ existing rights to energy resources in the eastern Mediterranean be defeated,” the Turkish president said.
“We have never seen the fate of the Turkish Cyprus separate from our own. The welfare of the people of Turkish Cyprus, their ability to stand on their own feet and their development are our primary goals,” he added.
Possible water shortage
Erdoğan also commented on Turkey’s help to Turkish Cypriots in dealing more effectively with the risk of possible water shortage.
He stated that the Turkish Cyprus has been experiencing an increasing water shortage for the past 30 years due to the fact that it is in an island country and due to its limited natural resources.
He noted that Turkey has delivered an annual 75 million cubic meters of water to the Turkish Cyprus via pipeline, which is 80-kilometer long [49.7-mile] and passes 250 meters below [nearly 821 feet] below the sea surface.
“In addition, with a modern drinking water treatment plant and a 529-kilometer-long [nearly 329-mile] distribution line, we provided drinking and potable water of upstream water quality to the whole of Turkish Cyprus,” said Erdogan.
He said Ankara was determined "not to leave Turkish Cyprus in need of others," with its projects to eliminate the risk of water shortage.