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Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Ersin Tatar declared on Thursday that a two-state solution is now the "only solution model" for Cyprus, citing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent United Nations (U.N.) statement calling for international recognition of the TRNC and abandonment of federation proposals.
Speaking to journalists at the TRNC Presidential Complex in Nicosia during a Turkish Airlines "AdaKibris" (IslandCyprus) promotional program visit, Tatar emphasized Türkiye's crucial support for Turkish Cyprus.
"As a state that recognizes the TRNC, Türkiye has made great sacrifices so that the people here can look to the future with hope," Tatar said.
"At last week's United Nations summit, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that the TRNC must now be recognized, that the federation solution model is behind us, and that a solution can be achieved through two-state policy," he noted.
Tatar stressed that Türkiye's National Security Council reached a similar decision, reinforcing the two-state approach.
"The two-state policy is now the only solution model," he stated, adding, "Federation is closed, and Türkiye is the motherland, the guarantor state."
The Turkish Cyprus president underscored Türkiye's essential role in maintaining the territory's stability and prosperity.
"The Republic of Türkiye stands behind this state. Türkiye is in a key role for the TRNC to continue its peace, security, prosperity and stability as an independent Turkish state," Tatar said.
He emphasized the vital importance of Turkish military presence: "The presence of the Turkish soldiers, the Turkish Armed Forces here, has vital importance for us. Turkish Cypriots generally think this way."
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Despite embargoes, Turkish Cyprus has seen significant growth, Tatar reported. Hotel bed capacity has increased from 10,000 to 35,000 over the past 20 years, with the newly opened Ercan State Airport terminal expected to boost passenger numbers from 2 million to 10 million annually.
"The TRNC connects to the whole world through Türkiye," Tatar said, noting that tourists and students from more than 100 countries visit despite embargoes.
Tatar praised the underwater pipeline bringing water from Türkiye to Turkish Cyprus, calling it "the project of the century" that has transformed the island's landscape.
"With this water coming from Türkiye, both our basic needs are met and it is used in agriculture and animal husbandry. The land has also become more fertile," he said.
Tatar concluded by asserting the permanence of the TRNC's 1983 declaration of independence.
"With the declaration of the TRNC in 1983, the future, freedom and sovereignty of the Turkish Cypriot was established. This establishment is such that no one can reverse it. There is life here, there is a people, and there is the people's struggle," he concluded.
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