Turkish, Northern Cyprus presidents meet in Lefkosa for talks

ANKARA

Ersin Tatar, the president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), on Thursday welcomed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Lefkosa.

Erdogan and Tatar held a one-on-one meeting to discuss bilateral relations and the Cyprus issue.

Following the meeting, the leaders are also expected to hold a news conference where several agreements will be signed.

Earlier, Erdogan attended the inauguration ceremony of the new terminal building and runway of Ercan Airport in the TRNC.

The opening ceremony also coincides with the 49th anniversary of the Turkish Peace Operation on the Eastern Mediterranean island, launched on July 20, 1974 to end ethnic violence by Greek Cypriots against the island’s Turkish Cypriots.

Speaking at the ceremony, Erdogan called on the international community to remove "purely political" restrictions on the TRNC that lack legal basis.

"I reiterate my call to support the ideal of two equal states to live side by side, rather than the culture of dominance, tension, and conflict on the Cyprus island," he added.