The leader of the New Rebirth Party (YDP) and Minister of Public Works and Transportation Erhan Arıklı noted that it is time for Türkiye to establish an air and naval base in Cyprus.
Arıklı stated that it was his greatest will that this issue would be discussed and concluded on July 20.
According to a statement by YDP, Arıklı said that the inter-communal talks in Cyprus, which has been going on for more than half a century, ended when talks during the Crans Montana July 2017, were brought to a halt due to the Greek Cypriots, noting that the Turkish Cypriot side had to develop a new thesis based on a two-state principle.
Arıklı said that while South Cyprus, want the negotiations to continue in Crans Montana, on the other hand, they are building up their military equipment and have made defense cooperation agreements with many states, allowing them to use air, land and naval bases of its own territory.
Pointing out that the establishment of a naval base in the Mari region on the coast of Larnaca was the latest move made by South Cyprus, Arıklı stated that the Greek Cypriot side had reached an agreement with the USA and the EU for the naval base to be built with Greece, and that they did not deny doing so.
