Turkey to continue firm stance on Cyprus, Syria, Libya

By Mumin Altas

LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (AA) - Turkey's vice president said Thursday that the country will continue its "righteous and firm" stance on Cyprus, Syria and Libya.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the 35th foundation anniversary of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Fuat Oktay said the reason for Cyprus still not reaching solution is the irreconcilable attitude of Greek Cypriots who have adopted insolubility as a maxim.

"Turkey will continue to display its righteous and firm stance with determination in Cyprus, Syria and Libya," Oktay said.

Oktay said TRNC is one of the two founding and equal parts of the island and Turkey will not let Greek Cypriots ignore this fact.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was declared on Nov. 15, 1983. It is currently recognized only by Turkey as an independent state.

The eastern Mediterranean island has been divided since 1974, when a Greek Cypriot coup was followed by violence against the island's Turks, and Ankara's intervention as a guarantor power.

Negotiations over Cyprus resumed after a 2004 UN-backed Annan Plan to reunify the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities.

The status of the island remains unresolved in spite of a series of discussions that resumed in May 2015.

There has been an on-and-off peace process over recent years, the latest failed initiative having taken place in Crans-Montana, Switzerland under the auspices of guarantor countries Turkey, Greece and the U.K., collapsing last year.