ISTANBUL 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that any future Cyprus talks would be conducted between two states, based on "sovereign equality," not between two communities.

"Until a solution that reflects the realities of the island is reached, we will not engage with or trade with the Greek Cypriot Administration," Erdogan said during a speech at the opening of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Presidential Complex and Republic Assembly in Lefkosa.

The Turkish president said: "The Turkish Cypriot people, who have bravely preserved their language, religion, and culture on the island for over 500 years, truly deserve to look to the future with hope and confidence more than anyone else."

He acknowledged, however, that some forces are attempting to hinder their progress.

"We are aware that there are those whose hatred and vengeance are so intense that they would expel the Turks not only from the island but even from Anatolia if they could," Erdogan noted.

The president said those who envy the growth and international visibility of the TRNC are actively working against its development.

"As you can see, those who envy the TRNC for its growing economy, strengthening infrastructure, increasing peace, and rising international visibility are doing everything in their power to hinder progress," Erdogan said.

He also emphasized Türkiye’s strong support for the Turkish Cypriots, warning that those trying to "obstruct their development" would face Ankara’s solidarity with Lefkosa.

Decades-long Cyprus problem

Cyprus has been mired in a decades-long dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the UN to achieve a comprehensive settlement.

Ethnic attacks starting in the early 1960s forced Turkish Cypriots to withdraw into enclaves for their safety.

In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at Greece’s annexation of the island led to Türkiye’s military intervention as a guarantor power to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence. As a result, the TRNC was founded in 1983.

It has seen an on-and-off peace process in recent years, including a failed 2017 initiative in Switzerland under the auspices of guarantor countries Türkiye, Greece, and the UK.

The Greek Cypriot administration entered the EU in 2004, the same year that Greek Cypriots single-handedly blocked a UN plan to end the longstanding dispute.