Turkish-occupied Cyprus

'If demilitarisation of the islands is not completed as soon as possible, we shall dispute sovereignty over the islands in the framework of international law and treaties,' Fuat Oktay declared.

'If there is peace in Cyprus today, it is due to the presence of the Turkish armed forces. Otherwise, the bloodshed would have continued,' Tatar said, reiterating Ankara’s pretext for the 1974 invasion,

The diplomacy of kicking the can down the road is not merely counter-productive. It is deleterious. The previously much-touted “status quo” no longer exists. What is needed now is a fighting spirit, decisiveness, and flexibility.

Some analysts believe Erdogan’s maximalist position in support of a two-state solution is designed to achieve a loose confederation, (effectively Ankara’s position in prior settlement talks), definitively abandoning the UN's bi-zonal federation framework.

After three years without inter-communal dialogue and with Turkey stirring troubles from the Aegean to the Caucasus, the rise of the new Turkish-Cypriot leader does not presage positive developments.

The tanks belong to Turkey’s First Army in the Evros region, where all Turkish Army tanks with 120mm projectiles are kept (the Leopard 2A4 and the Israeli M-60T Sabra) along with modernised Leopard-1T tanks with 105mm projectiles.

The argument that perpetuation of the status quo on Cyprus benefits the Greek-Cypriot side or at least will not change the geopolitical realities is collapsing

According to the article in the nationalist daily, the Turkish Navy has already submitted a request to the foreign ministry to begin work, so that Turkish warships can dock at the base, which will be built at a “suitable location”