Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz claimed Monday that Turkey's 1974 invasion of Cyprus brought peace not just to Turk...

Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz claimed Monday that Turkey's 1974 invasion of Cyprus brought peace not just to Turkish Cypriots, but to Greek Cypriots and the entire island. He made the remarks at a military parade in north Nicosia marking the 52nd anniversary of the invasion. Speaking to the crowd, Yilmaz said the Turkish military presence "has been the basis of peace and stability for more than half a century" and that the operation's justification has been "clearly revealed" over the past 52 years. He described Turkey as a guarantor power whose involvement is essential to any resolution on the island. Yilmaz went after what he called the "Greek Cypriot lobby," accusing it of "exploiting European institutions" and engaging in what he framed as disinformation. He also took aim at Cyprus's deepening security ties with Israel, warning that "drawing Cyprus into regional quarrels" would endanger stability rather than provide security. On reunification talks, Yilmaz blamed the Greek Cypriot side for failed negotiations, arguing that Nicosia refuses to share governance or accept Turkish Cypriots as equal partners. He insisted that no solution would succeed unless it recognized "the sovereign equality and equal international status of the two states," effectively pushing for a two-state outcome rather than a reunified republic. He closed by pledging that Turkey would not allow Turkish Cypriot youth to be "cut off from the world due to unfair isolation," vowing to open new doors if existing ones are closed. The 1974 invasion, which Turkey calls a "peace operation," resulted in the displacement of roughly 200,000 Greek Cypriots from the north of the island. Cyprus, the EU, and the international community do not recognize the Turkish-occupied north as a separate state. #Cyprus #Turkey #CyprusProblem