The Turkic world is “responsible for a fair solution in Cyprus”, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.
Addressing the day’s summit of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) in Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek, which is also being attended by Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, he linked his stated aim of achieving a two-state solution to the Cyprus problem with the recent conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“We hope and expect that the historical gains Azerbaijan has achieved will also be consolidated at the negotiating table with the signing of a peace agreement. The TRNC’s presence as a guest of honour at today’s summit is a manifestation of our will for solidarity. We expect them to take their place as full members soon,” he said.
“The Turkic world is responsible for a fair solution in Cyprus. We also support a permanent and just peace in Ukraine.”
In his address, Tatar said he feels “spiritual peace and happiness in Kyrgyzstan” and emphasised “the unity of brother countries with the same language, religion, culture, roots, and lineage which gives strength to the Turkic world.”
He went on to speak of efforts to “revive the historical silk road” and said that given Cyprus’ “strategic location” in the Eastern Mediterranean, “the Turkic world’s connections in the region have been strengthened with the TRNC’s observer status at the OTS”.
To this end, he said he is “determined to work with the TRNC’s institutions and organisations in every field where the OTS operates”.
On the matter of Cyprus itself, he said the north “has the potential to contribute to the Turkic world with its power and capacity”, and added that Ercan (Tymbou) airport and the Famagusta port “create opportunities”.
He then described Cyprus as “an island of education” and said the north has the potential to be “a science base”, while also saying that thanks to the inflow of water from Turkey, the north’s agricultural sector has “potential”, and touching on the “hydrocarbon resources around the island”.
Wednesday’s summit is the 11th OTS leaders’ summit to be held, with the most recent such event having been held in July in the Azerbaijani town of Shusha.
There, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban drew the ire of the European Union for his attendance of the event.
Hungary, like the north, is an observer of the OTS, and Orban being pictured at a dinner with Tatar prompted the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell to issue a scathing statement.
“Hungary has not received any mandate from the European Council to advance relations with the OTS. The EU rejects the attempts by the OTS to legitimise the Turkish Cypriot secessionist entity,” he said.
Cyprus’ foreign ministry was equally scathing, issuing a “strong condemnation” of the meeting and describing Hungary’s presence as a “serious slip”.
They added their “strong disappointment and dissatisfaction” at the Hungarian presence.
“We expect that all our European partners, including [Hungary], will fully respect the United Nations resolutions on Cyprus, international law, and the obligations arising from their status as EU member states,” they said.
