Cyprus is part of our soul. The solution of the Cyprus problem is possible only on the basis of the recognition of the existence of two states on the divided island. Turkey is ready to ensure lasting peace in Cyprus.
This was stated today by the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who attended the ceremonies on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the landing of the Turkish army in Northern Cyprus, which Ankara calls a "peacekeeping operation", Turkish media reported, quoted by BTA.
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Erdogan also attended the military parade in the Turkish part of the capital of Cyprus – Nicosia. For his part, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis attended events in the Greek part of Aphrodite Island.
The Speaker of the Turkish Parliament Numan Kurtulmus, the Chairman of the Nationalist Action Party (PND) Devlet Bahceli (an ally of the ruling Justice and Development Party - author's note) arrived to participate in the celebrations today in Northern Cyprus together with President Erdogan. the leader of the Great Union Party Mustafa Destigi, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar, the Minister of Health Kemal Memisoglu, the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu and a number of MPs.
In the so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), which is recognized only by Ankara, the leader of the main opposition People's Republican Party (NRP) Özgür Özel, as well as the chairman of the Good Party Meusavat Dervishoğlu, have also arrived, informed the Turkish publication “Ikonomim”.< /p>
Erdogan laid a wreath in front of the monument of Atatürk in Nicosia, after which he attended the parade on the occasion of today's holiday (in the SKTR, recognized only by Turkey – author's note) on “Fazal Küçük“ Boulevard.
The fact that we are all here, without distinguishing between the ruling party and the opposition, shows the importance we attach to the Cyprus cause, Erdogan said today.
I would like to thank all politicians and chairmen of our political parties, who with their presence inspired the Turkish Cypriots, added the Turkish head of state.
He pointed out that a federal solution is not possible on the island, adding that Turkey is ready to ensure lasting peace in Cyprus.
Resolving the Cyprus problem is possible only on the basis of recognizing the existence of two states on the divided island, Erdogan said.
In 1974, Greek Cypriot nationalists and the then ruling dictatorship in Athens wanted to unite Cyprus with Greece, leading to a military coup on the island. To prevent unification with Greece, Turkey intervened with military forces. Since then, the island has been divided.
The Greek side characterizes the events of half a century ago as an invasion of the island by Turkish forces, while the Turkish side defines what happened as a “Cyprus peace operation”.
In 1983, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was proclaimed in the northern part of the island, which is still recognized only by Turkey.
In 2004, the entire island was admitted to the European Union as a country. De jure the whole island has been a member of the EU since then, but EU law only applies in the southern part, meaning the island is de facto divided.