The Soon to be Sultan of Turkey has a way with his neighboring countries.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during a visit to northern Cyprus to commemorate 50 years since the Turkish invasion, declared that United Nations-led negotiations on Cyprus’s future are futile. Erdogan asserted that a federal solution is unattainable and suggested there is no benefit in resuming talks from where they left off in Switzerland years ago. Northern Cyprus, recognized only by Turkey, seeks international recognition, which Erdogan emphasized at a military parade in north Nicosia.
Turkey’s Erdoğan, in illegally occupied Cyprus on Saturday to mark 50 years since Turkish forces invaded, said he sees no point in continuing UN-led negotiations on the divided island’s futurehttps://t.co/UG1jIJ6xyv pic.twitter.com/5N4b5i2dHN
— qwerty (@qwerty14117587) July 20, 2024
Erdogan reiterated Turkey’s readiness to negotiate for lasting peace and a solution in Cyprus, but he insisted that both sides must negotiate as equals. In contrast, Cyprus’s President Nikos Christodoulides, speaking at a separate event in Nicosia, emphasized that reunification remains the only viable path forward. He criticized Turkey for its ongoing responsibility for human rights violations and the breach of international law since the 1974 invasion, which resulted in the island’s division along ethnic lines, with Greek and Turkish Cypriots separated by a UN-patrolled border.
Christodoulides, reflecting on the solemn day of remembrance, urged for a renewed peace dialogue to honor those who sacrificed their lives. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was also scheduled to attend events in the southern part of Nicosia. Previously, in May, Erdogan had conveyed to Mitsotakis that no problems, including Cyprus, were insurmountable between their nations.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip #Erdogan, in northern #Cyprus 50 years after Turkish forces invaded, says he sees no point in continuing UN-led negotiations on the Mediterranean island’s future.https://t.co/D6wCKmWfkC
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) July 20, 2024
Cyprus gained independence from Britain in 1960, but violence soon disrupted the shared administration between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, leading to the establishment of UN peacekeeping forces. In 1974, Turkey captured over a third of the island, displacing more than 160,000 Greek Cypriots to the south. In 2004, Greek Cypriots in the internationally recognized southern part overwhelmingly rejected a UN-backed reunification plan in a referendum.
Key Points:
- Erdogan dismissed the potential for UN-led negotiations to resolve Cyprus’s future, advocating against resuming talks from Switzerland.
- Erdogan reaffirmed Turkey’s readiness for negotiations but insisted on equality at the negotiation table.
- Christodoulides emphasized that reunification is the only viable solution and criticized Turkey for ongoing human rights violations since the 1974 invasion.
- The Greek Prime Minister is also involved in discussions, indicating regional support for renewed negotiations.
- Historical context: Cyprus’s independence from Britain in 1960, the 1974 Turkish invasion, and the failed 2004 UN-backed reunification plan.
Title:
Conner T – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
