NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Turkey’s president on Saturday dampened hopes for a quick resumption of talks to heal a half-century of ethnic division in Cyprus, reaffirming his support for a two-state deal that Greek Cypriots dismiss as a non-starter.
Speaking before a military parade marking the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion that split the island along ethnic lines, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ruled out a peace deal based on a United Nations-approved federation plan.
Although Erdogan had previously rejected the federation plan, Greece and Greek Cypriots had hoped he would soften his stance.
The anniversary is a cause for celebration for Turkish Cypriots in the northern third of the island, who see the invasion as a way to free themselves from the domination of the Greek majority. The invasion followed a coup aimed at union with Greece, backed by the junta then in power in Athens.
In the south, the wail of air raid sirens at daybreak marked the start of a solemn day commemorating what Greek Cypriots remember as a disaster that left thousands dead or missing and displaced a quarter of the Greek Cypriot population.
Erdogan’s remarks could further complicate efforts by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to bring the two sides back to the negotiating table. His personal envoy, Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar, has spent the past six months vetting both sides.
“We will continue to fight with determination for the recognition of the TRNC (breakaway Turkish Cypriot state) and the implementation of a two-state solution,” Erdogan told the crowd of Turkish Cypriots lining the parade route in scorching heat in the northern half of the divided capital, Nicosia.
“A federal solution in Cyprus is not possible, this is what we think. (…) The Turkish Cypriot side, as an equal of the Greek side, is willing to negotiate and is ready to sit at the negotiating table. If you want a solution, you have to recognize the rights of the Turkish Cypriots.”
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar has reiterated that Turkish Cypriots reject the “domination” of the Greek Cypriot majority and want “equal national status” for their breakaway state, which they unilaterally declared in 1983 and is recognised only by Turkey. He added that there was now “no common ground” for a return to peace negotiations.
Referring to a recent resolution by the Ankara parliament calling for a two-state solution, Tatar said it would “help us and our cause enormously.”
The island’s Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides has urged Turkey and Turkish Cypriots to resume reunification talks if Ankara genuinely seeks regional security and stability and closer ties with the European Union.
After many rounds of unsuccessful peace negotiations, many Cypriots on both sides – although jaded – still hold out a glimmer of hope for a peace deal.
The Greek Cypriot commemorations include the unveiling of memorials to fallen heroes, religious services and a rally on Saturday evening at the presidential palace attended for the first time by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Erdogan had previously presided over “golden jubilee” events, including a visit to Turkey’s first amphibious assault ship carrying the country’s powerful Bayraktar drones, and an air show.
The European Union, which Cyprus joined in 2004, has urged both sides to show “real commitment” to a peace deal in line with UN resolutions.
“Too much time has been lost,” an EU spokesman said. “Forced division can never be a solution. The hope for a better future, for a united Cyprus, still exists.”
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AP reporter Andrew Wilks in Istanbul contributed to this report.
