Nicosia – Turkey’s president said Monday that any deal to resolve Cyprus’ nearly half-century-long ethnic divide would include secession from the Turkish Cypriot state in the island’s northern third.
The comments made by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the North, during his first overseas visit since his election last month, are not new, but suggest that Ankara’s policy on Cyprus is unwavering despite international condemnation of the idea of a two-nation deal that defies UN resolutions. Single federal Cyprus call.
“No one will tolerate another 50 years of wasted time,” Erdogan said at a joint press conference with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar. “If it has to go back to the negotiating table, the only way to do it is to recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.”
It also dashes hopes of a speedy return to negotiations with the internationally recognized government of Cyprus, despite a spokesman for President Nicos Anastasiades saying Monday that Erdogan will be judged by his actions rather than his words.
In the year Cyprus was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded in 1974 after a pro-Turkish coup in alliance with Greece. Turkish Cypriots declared their independence almost a decade later, but this is recognized only by Turkey, which maintains more than 35,000 troops and large arsenals in the north.
UN-led peace talks have not resolved the conflict. The most recent round of Turkish military intervention in July 2017 was marred by Turkey’s commitment to maintaining rights and a permanent presence in any new formation. Another obstacle is Greek Cypriot’s rejection of the Turkish Cypriot claim to the right to veto all government decisions at the federal level. Turkish Cypriots are roughly a quarter of Greek Cypriots.
Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots have argued that negotiations based on a federal Cyprus are futile and have instead pushed for a two-state deal as a new starting point. Greek Cypriots say they cannot agree on a deal that would formalize the division of the country.
“Turkey’s demands for Cypriot justice are clear and unequivocal. Turkish Cypriots have never been a minority and never will be,” Erdogan said.
The Turkish President also said that Ankara has planned to supply electricity to the Turkish Cypriot power through a cable in the sea. The north has been experiencing chronic energy supply problems for years.
The power cable runs 66.5 miles (107 kilometers) of undersea pipelines in Turkey in 2010. The Cypriot government has criticized the pipeline project as an attempt by Ankara to “increase Turkey’s influence and control over Cyprus”.
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