Erdogan argues that the existing window of opportunity in Cyprus will not remain open forever

According to Illegal Bayrak television (20.07.11), the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has alleged that Turkey wishes the peace environment in Cyprus to pave the way for peace, development and cooperation in a region much broader than the island. Speaking today at Dr. Fazil Kucuk Boulevard in the occupied part of Lefkosia during the “celebrations” on the occasion of the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, Erdogan claimed, however, that the existing window of opportunity will not remain open forever.

Erdogan referred to the 2004 referendum and argued that the Turkish side is stronger after that referendum.

He noted, inter alia, the following: “We sincerely believe in the target of the solution. However, we should not forget the following: The knife has reached the bone. We did our part and we are ready to do it. We call on the other interested parties to support peace and take steps in this direction. The current negotiation process, which exceeded three years with its preparatory period, has come to its final stage… There is absolutely no doubt now that the solution within the UN parameters will be found in accordance to the agreements of the leaders in their Joint Statements during the current negotiation process. The new partnership within this framework will be a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation based on political equality as described in the relevant Resolutions of the UN Security Council. In parallel to a federal government with a single international identity, this partnership will have a Founding Turkish Cypriot State and a Founding Greek Cypriot State?”

Erdogan reiterated the Turkish view that an agreement should be reached by the end of the year and a referendum should be held before July 2012, so that the “new partnership state” to take the term presidency of the EU.

He argued: “A term presidency in which the Turkish Cypriots will also be participating in the second half of 2012 and as a result of this Turkey will be able to accept it as interlocutor, could contribute in not only to the acceleration of the relations between Turkey and the EU, but in Europe’s being upgraded politically and strategically”.

Erdogan reiterated that the relations of Turkey with the EU will completely freeze if Cyprus takes the term presidency without a solution to the Cyprus problem. He alleged that no state such as “Cyprus” exists, but there is the “Greek Cypriot administration”, as he called the Republic of Cyprus, and the “TRNC”, as he described the breakaway regime.