Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has once again advocated for a two-state solution to the Cyprus issue, describing it as “the best structure that guarantees equality and causes no problems for either side.”
Speaking in an interview with the Turkish broadcaster A Haber, Fidan asserted that “Turks live in the north, Greeks live in the south, and thanks to the presence of the Turkish army since 1974, life has continued without a hitch.” He dismissed the international community’s rejection of a two-state solution as a “historical delusion,” attributing it to “Greek Cypriot and Greek propaganda and the false impression that they are positive toward another solution.”
Regarding Turkey’s potential return to the F-35 fighter jet program, Fidan said that during Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to the White House on September 25, former US President Donald Trump indicated that the CAATSA law should not hinder US-Turkey relations and instructed his administration accordingly.
Fidan also claimed that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told him: “I was a senator, I was on the side that passed the law. Now I am executive, I came to the side of the administration. The President gave me a directive to implement it. I am looking at the text, and we have drafted it so the administration cannot move from its position.” He emphasized that solutions are possible as long as there is goodwill in US-Turkey relations.
Addressing the European SAFE defence funding program, Fidan acknowledged obstacles due to objections from Greece and Cyprus, noting that their consent is required. He added that the Turkish Ministry of Defence and the Defence Industry Directorate are in constant coordination on the matter.
On the situation in Gaza, Fidan said Turkey is prepared to offer all necessary assistance, including sending troops, as part of an international stabilisation force. “Our commander-in-chief President Erdogan is responsible for the final decision on troop deployment. The will here is that, if the necessary conditions are met, Turkey is ready to step in and will act responsibly in every matter, including the deployment of troops. This is the clearest message we are sending to the international community,” he said.
