Turkey's Deputy President Cevdet Gilmaz Reaffirms Two-State Solution at Cyprus Anniversary

Turkey’s deputy president, Cevdet Gilmaz, attended the July 20 events in Northern Cyprus marking the 52nd anniversary of the 1974 Turkish invasion. He represented Ankara in place of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was absent, and was joined by Turkish ministers, MPs and senior officials.

In his speech Gilmaz repeated Ankara’s longstanding position that the island’s future must be resolved through a two‑state solution, stating “Η Κύπρος δεν θα γίνει ποτέ ελληνικό νησί” (“Cyprus will never become a Greek island”). He called for recognition of the “sovereign equality” of Turkish Cypriots, condemned what he described as “inhumane isolations”, criticised the European Union’s role, and said Turkey is closely monitoring regional developments and attempts to turn Cyprus into a new military formation. The remarks came amid renewed UN‑led diplomatic talks on the Cyprus issue.