Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday said the Turkic world “has not abandoned its Turkish Cypriot brothers on the path to a just solution” to the Cyprus problem.

He was addressing the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) summit in Qabala, in Azerbaijan.

He also expressed “pleasure” at being joined in Qabala by Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, who also gave an address on Tuesday.

In that address, Tatar described northern Cyprus as “the Turkic world’s strategic stronghold in the eastern Mediterranean”.

“Its geographical location makes it the OTS’ gateway to Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. The TRNC is also a natural crossroads for transportation and logistics, higher education and research, tourism, green energy, and the digital economy,” he said.

He also described the north as “the legitimate representative of the Turkic world in the eastern Mediterranean and a strong stakeholder in peace”.

“Although we face an unlawful isolation in the international arena, we look to the future with confidence thanks to our institutional capacity, our inclusive and functioning democracy, and our developing economy in every field,” he said

Later in his address, he reaffirmed his commitment to a two-state solution to the Cyprus problem, describing it as “the only path to a just, sustainable and lasting peace which reflects the realities on the island”.

“The continued solidarity of the Turkic world and its support for the Turkish Cypriot people’s just fight will be a great source of strength for us,” he said.