“Turkish Cypriots have never been a minority,” Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during his first official visit to North Cyprus following his re-election as Turkish President.
Turkish Cypriot Leader Ersin Tatar and Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a meeting at Tatar’s office.
Discussions focused on views on steps to be taken in all areas, bilateral relations were exchanged, and the latest developments on the island were addressed thoroughly in terms of regional and global aspects.
“If there is to be a return to the negotiating table in Cyprus, it can only be through recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)”, Erdogan said during a joint press conference following his meeting with Tatar.
Erdoğan said that Turkish Cypriots have never been a minority and never will be and that those who ignore this have to face the facts. “Another 50 years cannot be wasted” he stressed.
He referred to power cuts experienced in North Cyprus and pointed to the importance of the transfer of electricity from Türkiye to North Cyprus. “Ensuring the transfer of electricity from Türkiye to North Cyprus via cable will be Ankara’s most important priority”, Türkiye President Erdoğan said.
Stressing that Türkiye will resolutely continue to support the rights and interests of North Cyprus, Erdogan also referred to the Eastern Mediterranean and Aegean issues during his speech :
“We will continue to protect the interests of Türkiye and the TRNC in the Eastern Mediterranean. As a guarantor country, we have always given priority to dialogue…” he said.
“Our roadmap is already clear. This roadmap is based on peace. There is no alternative other than peace in these seas, and if there are those who want to prevent peace, then we will have to adopt a different policy. We do not want any obstacles in our way. Let the Aegean Sea give out a message of peace to the world”, Erdoğan is cited as saying.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Erdoğan also referred to the Derinya (Deryneia) region and vowed to construct a social housing project of 1,192 homes.
