Nicosia, Cyprus. Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman and Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz on Friday said their cooperation remains closely aligned after a meeting at Erhurman’s official residence, as efforts intensify to resume negotiations on the Cyprus problem.
Erhurman said the meeting confirmed the harmony of their cooperation and reiterated that the process would continue in consultation with Turkey.
Consultation with Turkey
Erhurman said he was extremely pleased that the harmony regarding the process they are conducting had been confirmed once again, referring to his and Yilmaz’s meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan before the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in April.
He said they had always stated that the process would be conducted in consultation with Turkey and added that it is continuing through intensive consultation.
Erhurman also said they have the opportunity to maintain constant contact and that those contacts will continue uninterrupted.
Yilmaz highlights ties and support
Yilmaz said mutual visits are an indication of the unbreakable ties between their two states, their shared history, and their common future.
He said this was a clear manifestation of the strong support given by Turkey to the Turkish Cypriot people.
Yilmaz said he and Erhurman had also discussed the latest developments regarding the Cyprus issue and had reaffirmed once again that they are in complete agreement and harmony on the matter.
Position on the Cyprus issue
Yilmaz said the freedom, rights, and security of the Turkish Cypriots are not merely an ordinary foreign policy issue for Turkey, but the defining characteristic of its national cause.
He added that Turkey, with the responsibility bestowed on it as a guarantor state, will always stand by the Turkish Cypriot people, defend their cause on every platform, and mobilise all its resources to establish a just, lasting, and sustainable solution based on sovereign equality.
Context of the meeting
The meeting took place two days after the conclusion of this week’s Nato leaders’ summit in Ankara, which Erhurman described as an extremely great achievement for Turkey as host.
