In response to statement made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his visit on Sept. 1 to Cyprus` Turkish occupied territory – a visit the Republic of Cyprus noted is illegal – the government of Cyprus declared it opposition to “every statement or act which refers to a solution that is outside the framework of the UN relevant resolutions, the High Level Agreements of 1977 and 1979 and the joint communique,” reached on February 11 between President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu.

Government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides said in a statement, “In addition to the illegality of the visit by the Turkish President to Cyprus we condemn every statement or act which refers to a solution that is outside the framework of the UN relevant resolutions, the High Level Agreements of 1977 and 1979 and the joint communique.

Christodoulides described Turkey’s pronouncements regarding its desire to contribute to reunification as nothing but empty words. “The repetition of statements such as ‘Turkey will always be one step ahead,’ remain, so far, devoid of any content since in practice the policies that Ankara follows demonstrate just the opposite.”