Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sets as a prerequisite to continue talks the recognition of the "sovereign equality" of Turkish-speaking Cypriots.
"If new talks are to take place on Cyprus, they should no longer take place between the two communities, but between the two states," Erdoğan said at the opening ceremony of a water supply tunnel for the Occupied Territories of northern Cyprus.
Erdoğan set as a prerequisite for the start of new negotiations on the Cyprus issue the recognition of "equal status" and "sovereign equality" for Turkish-speaking Cypriots.
Regarding the recent talks held in Geneva, he said that the talks ended in a stalemate due to the "uncompromising attitude of the Greek side", which, as he said, is "detached from the events on the island."
He of course omitted that the position of the Republic of Cyprus, which Turkey mislabels as the "Greek side," has the full support of the United Nations, U.S., China, Russia and many others, while Turkey's position is unilateral.
Noting that Turkey has supplied, on an annual basis, 75 million cubic meters of water to the Occupied Territories through a submarine pipeline, Erdoğan said that "Ankara is determined not to leave Turkish Cyprus in need of others."
The Turkish-speaking Cypriot leader, Ersin Tatar, also submitted a written proposal for a two-state solution - for the first time since 1977 - and the start of talks on the Cyprus issue.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres made it very clear to the Turkish-speaking Cypriot community and Turkey that the solution sought by them is unlikely to be recognised by either the United Nations or the European Union.
The Cypriot president, Nikos Anastasiadis, said after the end of the talks that there would be no tolerance for new efforts by Turkey, and such an attempt would be a reason for his non-participation in future United Nations efforts.
Turkey in 1974 invaded the northern portion of Cyprus, creating over 200,000 Greek refugees and thousands of deaths.
The so-called “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” (TRNC), is an illegal entity established after the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus.
It is recognised by no other state in the world besides Turkey, and was deemed an illegal entity by United Nations Security Council resolutions 541 and 550.
READ MORE: Çelik: Greece and Cyprus are to blame for a non-resolution.
