Turkish Cypriot leadership reaffirms two-state policy and rejects federal solution

Turkish Cypriot 'foreign minister' Tahsin Ertugruloglu and 'prime minister' Unal Ustel have reaffirmed their commitment to a two-state solution based on sovereign equality, dismissing the federal model as obsolete. Ertugruloglu criticized the UN Secretary-General's envoy, Maria Angela Holguin, accusing her of exceeding her mandate and attempting to revive an unsustainable process. He stated that the Cyprus problem is effectively settled and described the current status quo as a de facto reality. Furthermore, the leadership explicitly rejected any link between the Cyprus issue and EU-Turkey relations, citing EU bias in favor of the Greek Cypriots. Ertugruloglu also attacked local Turkish Cypriot politicians who advocate for a federal solution, labeling it a failed concept. In parallel, Ustel stated that the policy of a two-state solution is coordinated with Turkey and noted that no territorial concessions would be considered. Meanwhile, pro-federal voices, such as Tufan Erhurman, continue to advocate for a solution based on established UN efforts, highlighting the internal divergence within the Turkish Cypriot community regarding the negotiation process.