President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke at the opening of the new terminal and runway of Ercan Airport in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Monday.
In his speech, Erdoğan reiterated his call for the international community to support the idea of two equal states living side by side in Cyprus.
Erdoğan said that the new airport is a "major achievement" for the TRNC and that it will help to boost tourism and investment in the country. He also called on the international community to remove the "unfair and unlawful" restrictions that are currently in place against the TRNC.
"I urge the international community to remove purely political restrictions devoid of any legal basis," Erdoğan said. "I repeat my call to support the idea of two equal states to live side by side, not the culture of domination, tension and conflict on the island of Cyprus."
The opening of the new airport comes at a time of heightened tensions in Cyprus. The island is divided into two parts, the Greek Cypriot south and the Turkish Cypriot north.
Erdoğan's speech was seen as a sign of his continued support for the TRNC. He has repeatedly said that he will not accept a solution to the Cyprus conflict that does not include the establishment of a Turkish Cypriot state.
