Turkiye's Erdogan insists on Cyprus two-state solution
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when a Turkish invasion followed a coup in Nicosia backed by Greece's then-military junta. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, declared in 1983, is recognized only by Ankara.
'We fully support the vision based on a two-state solution,' Erdogan said during a visit to northern Cyprus marking 51 years since Turkish troops invaded the island.
'It is time for the international community to make peace with the realities on the ground,' Erdogan said.
The Turkish leader's visit comes few days after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that meetings between Cyprus's rival leaders at the organization's New York headquarters were 'constructive,' even as questions remained about crossing points on the island.
Erdogan on Sunday called for an end to the isolation of the TRNC.
'Diplomatic, political, and economic relations should be established with the TRNC, and the injustice endured by Turkish Cypriots for decades must finally come to an end,' he said.
The last major round of peace talks collapsed in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, in July 2017.
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Al Arabiya
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Arab News
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For the sake of peace, America should recognize Palestine
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Arab News
10 hours ago
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Thai and Cambodian leaders to meet in Malaysia for talks to end deadly border dispute
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'The situation remains highly tense, and it is anticipated that Cambodia may be preparing for a major military operation prior to entering negotiations,' it said. Cambodian Defense Ministry spokesperson Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata accused Thai forces of escalating the violence with bombardment of Cambodian territory early Sunday, followed by a 'large-scale incursion' involving tanks and ground troops in multiple areas. 'Such actions undermine all efforts toward peaceful resolution and expose Thailand's clear intent to escalate rather than de-escalate the conflict,' she said. Thailand on Sunday reported a new death of a soldier, bringing its total number of fatalities to 22, mostly civilians. Cambodia said 13 people have been killed, though it was unclear if that included Lt. Gen. Duong Samnieng, whose death in combat was announced Sunday. More than 139,000 people in Thailand have evacuated to safe locations and over 79,000 people fled from three Cambodian provinces. Many border villages are mostly deserted, with many schools and hospitals shut. Evacuees hope for a swift end to the fighting Pichayut Surasit, an air-conditioning technician in Thailand, said the sudden outbreak of fighting meant leaving his work in Bangkok to return home to protect his family. 'I didn't have the heart to continue with my work when I heard the news. I wanted to come back as soon as possible, but I had to wait until the evening,' he said. Now at a shelter in Surin housing some 6,000 evacuees, Pichayut worries for his wife and twin daughters, hoping the conflict will end soon so they can return to their home in Kap Choeng district, one of the hardest hit by shelling. Bualee Chanduang, a local vendor who moved to the same shelter Thursday with her family and pet rabbit, is counting on swift negotiations to end the violence. 'I pray for God to help so that both sides can agree to talk and end this war,' she said. At the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV said he was praying for all those affected by war in the world, including 'for those affected by the clashes on the border between Thailand and Cambodia, especially the children and displaced families.' The 800-kilometer (500-mile) frontier between Thailand and Cambodia has been disputed for decades, but past confrontations have been limited and brief. The latest tensions erupted in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and roiled Thailand's domestic politics.
