Turkey says there is still no common ground between the two sides on resolving the Cyprus issue following the trilateral meeting between UN Secretary-General António Guterres, President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman.
In a statement issued by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli and republished by the ministry, Ankara said it appreciates the efforts made by UN Secretary-General António Guterres on the Cyprus issue during the final period of his term in office.
Focus should remain on cooperation
The Turkish Foreign Ministry argued that, while “there is still no common ground for a settlement” between the two sides, priority should be given to advancing cooperation in specific areas under the UN-led process launched in 2025.
According to Ankara, progress on practical cooperation can help build confidence between the two communities.
The ministry also claimed there could be no concrete prospect of a settlement unless what it described as the Greek Cypriot side’s “intransigent stance” changes and actions that, according to Turkey, negatively affect regional security come to an end.
Two-state position reaffirmed
The statement again rejected settlement models pursued over previous decades, arguing that they have been exhausted and now belong to the past.
Ankara reiterated its longstanding position that a “fair, comprehensive and sustainable settlement” can only be achieved by reflecting what it describes as the realities on the island and on the basis of the sovereign equality and equal international status of Turkish Cypriots.
“As the motherland and guarantor power, we reiterate that a settlement of the Cyprus issue can only be achieved on the basis of the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people,” the statement said.
The Turkish government concluded by reaffirming its full support for the Turkish Cypriot administration and the Turkish Cypriot community.
Also read: Christodoulides welcomes UN-backed progress after Guterres visit
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