NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Turkey’s president on Saturday put a damper on hopes for a quick resumption of negotiations to heal half a century of ethnic divisions in Cyprus, after reaffirming his support for a two-state deal that Greek Cypriots stubbornly dismiss as a non-starter.
Speaking ahead of a military parade commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion that divided the island along ethnic lines, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ruled out a peace deal based on a United Nations-approved plan for a federation.
Although Erdogan had previously rejected the federation plan, Greece and the Greek Cypriots hoped that he would soften his position.
The anniversary is a festive occasion for Turkish Cypriots in the northern third of the island, who see the invasion as a rescue from the dominance of the Greek-speaking majority. The invasion followed a coup aimed at union with Greece, which was supported by the Junta then ruling in Athens.
In the south, the air raid sirens began at dawn with the howl of an air raid. The day marked what Greek Cypriots remember as a disaster that left thousands dead or missing and a quarter of the Greek Cypriot population displaced.
Erdogan’s comments could further complicate efforts by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to bring both sides back to the negotiating table. Guterres’ personal envoy Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar has spent the past six months mapping out both sides.
“We will continue to fight with determination for the recognition of the (breakaway Turkish Cypriot state) TRNC and the implementation of a two-state solution,” Erdogan told the crowd of Turkish Cypriots who lined the parade route in the scorching heat in the northern capital Nicosia.
“A federal solution in Cyprus is not possible, that is what we believe… The Turkish Cypriot side, as equals with the Greek side, is ready to negotiate and is ready to sit down and negotiate. If you want a solution, you have to recognize the rights of the Turkish Cypriots.”
Turkish Cypriot Party leader Ersin Tatar reiterated that Turkish Cypriots reject “dominance” by the Greek Cypriot majority and seek “equal national status” for their breakaway state, unilaterally declared in 1983 and recognised only by Turkey. He added that there was now “no common ground” for a return to peace negotiations.
Referring to a recent resolution in Ankara’s parliament calling for a two-state solution, Tatar said this “will help us and our cause incredibly.”
The island’s Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides urged Turkey and Turkish Cypriots to resume reunification talks if Ankara is truly committed to regional security and stability and wants to move closer to the European Union.
After numerous failed peace negotiations, many Cypriots on both sides – though blasé – still harbour a glimmer of hope for a peace agreement.
The Greek Cypriot commemorations included the unveiling of memorials to fallen heroes, church services and a rally late on Saturday at the presidential palace, where Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis delivered his first speech.
Erdogan previously chaired events marking the “golden jubilee”, which included a visit by 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, urged both sides to show “real commitment” to a peace deal in line with UN resolutions.
“Too much time has been lost,” said an EU spokesman. “A forced partition can never be a solution. There is still hope for a better future, a united Cyprus.”
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AP journalist Andrew Wilks in Istanbul contributed.