Turkey President Erdogan opposed by Turkish Cypriot protestors on his visit to the island

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with protests from Turkish Cypriots as he visited northern Cyprus on Sunday, November 15. Erdogan visited the self-proclaimed Republic of Northern Cyprus and addressed the situation in the region. He said that Ankara can’t tolerate "diplomatic games" when it comes to Mediterranean offshore exploration any longer, while also expressing his views on the future of the island. 

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Erdogan greeted with protests

As per The Guardian, Turkish Cypriot protestors are unhappy with Erdogan’s decision to enjoy a picnic in the controversially reopened beach resort of Varosha and welcomed him with several banners that read 'No picnic over pain'.

Back in October, Erdogan and the newly-elected president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Ersin Tatar had held a joint press conference in Ankara, wherein the duo had called for a "realistic" two-state solution for Cyprus. The two leaders also departed from the long-followed call of a reunified Cyprus and said the current parameters of talks were unsustainable. 

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During the press conference, the Turkish leader had accused the Greek Cypriot side of not exerting the intention to accept a solution on the basis of the Turkish Cypriots’ equal partnership. He had said that the irreconcilable approach and mindset of the Greek Cypriot side is the underlying reason why the negotiations going on for over 50 years have failed every time. Erdogan alleged that the Greek Cypriots don’t want to share with the Turkish Cypriots. 

Cyprus was divided into two in 1974 when Turkey had invaded the northern parts of the island following a Greek-inspired coup. The European Union in 2004 admitted the Greek Cypriot and also recognised the local government. The EU and the international community do not recognise the Turkish Cypriot government in the north and demand reunification of the island, the talks for which have failed several times.

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