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Erdogan threatens to build naval base in Northern Cyprus – Novinite.com

Turkish Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkey is prepared to establish a naval base in the north Cyprus if necessary, Reuters and the Anadolu Agency said. Erdogan made this statement after attending a military parade in Nicosia, marking the 50th anniversary of Turkey‘s military intervention on the island.

During his return flight from Cyprus, Erdogan stressed that Ankara remains committed to the recognition of the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus and the pursuit of a two-state solution. He claimed that Turkey if necessary, it could establish a naval base and facilities in the north, and criticized Greece for reportedly wanting to establish a similar base on the island.

Erdogan marked Turkeycurrent construction projects in the North Cyprusincluding the new presidential and parliament buildings, and contrasted them with Greece’s attempts to build a military base. He reiterated that Turkey sees no possibility of continuing the international negotiations on Cyprus unless both parties are on an equal footing.

The conflict dates back to 1974, when Greek Cypriot nationalists and the then ruling junta in Athens attempted to unite Cyprus with Greece. Turkey on July 20, 1974, intervened militarily to prevent this unification, which led to the division of the island. The Greek side describes the intervention as an invasion, while Turkey calls it a “Cyprus peace operation.”

In 1983 the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus (TRNC) was declared in the northern part of the island, which is only recognized by Turkey. Currently, Turkey has more than 35,000 troops in the northern region.

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