(Hurriyet) - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Nicosia to attend ceremonies commemorating the July 20 Peace and Freedom Celebrations, met with Northern Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat. The meeting between Talat and Erdogan took place at the Presidential residence in Nicosia, with sources reporting that Talat briefed Erdogan on recent talks with foreign envoys working to find a solution to tension between the north and south sides of the island, reports Trend.
The two leaders focused in their talks on the question of the opening up of Turkish air and sea ports to the Greek Cypriots, an issue that has occupied a significant portion of EU accession talks time for Turkey over the past months. Erdogan reassured Talat that it would be impossible for Turkey to open up its ports based on current conditions. He said "Without a lifting of isolationary measures against Northern Cyprus, it is not even a question; we will not open our ports. Everyone should be comfortable knowing this."
Arriving at the airport in Nicosia, Prime Minister Erdogan was greeted by a posters and signs in protest of his visit to Northern Cyprus, held by a group led by Ata Tepe, the president of the Nationalist Justice Party. It was the first time a Turkish prime minister had met with protest on a visit to Northern Cyprus.