ISTANBUL

The president of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Tuesday said a two-state solution on the Cyprus issue is "the goal and aspiration of us all, and it is the right thing to do."

Speaking to the press after a ceremony in Istanbul, Ersin Tatar said they have strengthened the TRNC's diplomatic status on international platforms thanks to the two-state policy pursued with the support of Türkiye over the past five years.

The TRNC's representation in the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) are important indicators of the foreign policy success of recent years, he stressed.

Emphasizing that the federal solution model poses serious risks for the Turkish Cypriots, Tatar said: "Under the guise of a federation, Turks will be reduced to a minority, the Republic of Türkiye will withdraw from Cyprus, the Republic of Türkiye's guarantorship will be eliminated, and Turkishness will lose the Eastern Mediterranean."

Underlining the geopolitical importance of the Eastern Mediterranean, Tatar said the TRNC should be evaluated as a whole, not only as a landmass but also with its maritime jurisdictions, continental shelf, exclusive economic zones, and airspace.

"As (Turkish) President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan has said, the TRNC will continue to be a shining Turkish state in the Eastern Mediterranean," Tatar added.

Later, at a reception in Istanbul marking the 51st anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation, known as Peace and Freedom Day, he underscored that the Turkish soldiers in the TRNC will continue to remain there as a deterrent force.

"Turkish Cypriots are not alone. The Blue Homeland is very important for the Eastern Mediterranean homeland and for the entire Turkic world," Tatar said.

If an agreement is to be signed on the Cyprus issue, the Turkish Cypriots will only sign an honorable agreement that is built on solid foundations, with Türkiye as a guarantor and the Turkish military remaining there as a deterrent force, the president underlined.

- Developing economic ties between TRNC, Türkiye

Stressing that economic relations between Türkiye and the TRNC are developing, Tatar said annual trade volume between the two countries is approaching around $3 billion.

He said they trade with more than 100 countries and noted that significant strides have been made in tourism with the Closed Maras initiative, which has been partially made available to the public.