Erdoğan, Boris discuss Cyprus,
A TWO-STATE solution in Cyprus will create a “win-win” situation in the region, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a phone call.
The two leaders, who spoke on Monday, discussed Cyprus and the eastern Mediterranean as well as a broad range of issues including trade, tourism, defence, agriculture, services, investments and the fight against Covid-19, a written statement from Mr Erdoğan’s office said.
“Stating that Turkey appreciates the steps taken recently by the UK on the Cyprus issue, President Erdoğan highlighted that the two-state solution would lead to a win-win situation in terms of new regional cooperation opportunities, not only for the two sides on the island but for all,” the statement said.
“Turkey continues to display a constructive stance in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean as well as in Cyprus, President Erdoğan underlined, further stressing that Turkey preserves its calm stance and its determination to continue exploratory talks, despite Greece’s provocative acts and discourse.”
The two also discussed the free trade agreement signed by Turkey and the UK in
December which “constitutes a new milestone” in relations between the two countries and aims to increase “bilateral trade volume” to $20 billion a year.
A statement from 10 Downing Street said the two men discussed the “upcoming UN Cyprus talks” that are due to take place in Geneva, Switzerland, from April 27-29.
The “informal” talks will involve the two sides of Cyprus and the guarantor countries of Turkey, Greece and the UK to see if a way forward can be found for a fresh round of formal negotiations to solve the Cyprus problem.
“The Prime Minister emphasised that the UK continues to be a strong supporter of a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Cyprus issue, based on the internationally accepted model of a bizonal, bicommunal federation,” the press release said.
It added that Mr Johnson “offered his condolences following the deaths of 13 Turkish citizens in northern Iraq and condemned killings by PKK terrorists”.
COUNTRIES in Asia should show “determination” to put an end to the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot people, President Ersin Tatar has said.
Mr Tatar made the comments via video call at the 14th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO).
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who chaired the meeting, also called on all ECO member countries to “enhance their relations” with the TRNC in “every field and help it overcome the injustices it is experiencing”.
The members of the ECO are Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan while the “Turkish Cypriot state” has had observer status since 2014.