Turkey urges actors in Cyprus issue to 'be part of solution'

Turkey expects the actors involved in the Cyprus issue to help find a solution to the long-standing dispute on the island, rather than drag the process into a deadlock, the Turkish National Security Council said on Aug. 5. 

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"Laid out by Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), an equal, sovereign, independent two-state solution will contribute to the peace and prosperity of both communities on the island," said a written statement released after the council meeting, which had convened under the chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the capital Ankara.

"Actors who are parties to the Cyprus issue have been invited to be part of the solution, rather than insisting on their uncompromising approach," added the statement.

Cyprus has been mired in a decades-long dispute between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the U.N. to achieve a comprehensive settlement.

Touching on ongoing wildfires in southern Turkey that have been burning for more than a week, the statement said that efforts to contain the flames were reviewed at the three-and-a-half-hour meeting, along with "disinformation campaigns" and additional measures.

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According to official figures, at least eight people have lost their lives since the fires started in southern coastal areas last Wednesday.

On the PKK terror group, the statement condemned countries that protect the terrorists and "encourage them to continue their attacks against peace and stability in our region" despite all of Turkey's well-intentioned warnings.

"States that use terrorism as a foreign policy tool and establish illegitimate relations with terrorist organizations have been reminded that it is inevitable...