In new provocative statements, after his speech yesterday in the occupied territories, the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, proceeded today, Sunday, launching an attack against the Minister of Defense, Nikos Dendias in an interview he granted to journalists on the plane upon his return from the occupied territories while asking Kyriakos Mitsotakis to put his minister in his place.

The Turkish president said that the characterization “conquerors” of Nikos Dendias to the Turks “he couldn’t be more insolent.”

“Can not exist more insolent and indecent statement from standing up and saying that the Turks are conquerors there. Therefore, Mr. Mitsotakis must put this minister in his place”. he said.

At the same time, he said that Turkey does not see any new negotiation process to start for Cyprus without both sides on the island sitting down and starting talks “as equals”.

“Frankly, we do not see the possibility of starting a new negotiation process in Cyprus without creating an equation where both sides will sit at the table as equals and leave as equals”Erdogan said.

The Turkish president also urged against moves that escalate tension in Cyprus, adding that “complicity in massacres in Israel would serve neither the Greek Cypriots nor Greece”.

He also said that Turkey will not hesitate to build naval bases or other marine structures in North Cyprus, if this proves “necessary”.

“We also have the sea”, he added.

Regarding his visit to the occupied territories he said: “Today, as we did 50 years ago, we stand by the Turkish Cypriots as motherland and guarantor country. In this respect, I value the image of unity and solidarity that we have given as government and opposition. Thus, it is understood that Cyprus is not only ours, but also the red line of 85 million people. This must be understood once and for all. No one can afford to see and present the Turkish Cypriot people, the essential element of the island, as a minority. We literally confirmed this in our visit today. It is becoming clear day by day that the two-state model is the only solution to the Cyprus problem. Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot people have made every sacrifice on the way to a solution. Although the party that said “yes” to the Annan Plan was Northern Cyprus, unfortunately it was the Greek Cypriots who were valued. It is no longer possible to get anywhere with this» concluded the Turkish president.