Turkish Cypriot leaders push two‑state solution for Cyprus

Redif Ekinci, speaking on a Turkish‑Cypriot TV program, said the island “needs a good future” and warned that the lack of a concrete settlement harms trade, transport and youth prospects. President Ersin Tatar repeatedly stressed that a permanent settlement can be reached only through a two‑state model, declaring “KKTC must exist” and linking the island’s stability to Turkey’s historic support and strategic interests in the Eastern Mediterranean. Former ambassador Dr Ahmet Zeki Bulunç echoed the two‑state stance, warning that negotiations without a solid agreement would become “a death‑row” for the Turkish community and called for equal sovereign status for both peoples. The officials highlighted economic, energy and security cooperation with Turkey as essential, and pointed to the pending Schengen accession of the Republic of Cyprus as a factor that could impact daily life in the north, with some urging the Schengen process be delayed until a comprehensive political solution is achieved. Across the statements, Turkish‑Cypriot leaders argue that only a two‑state arrangement can secure lasting peace, stability and international recognition for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.