Turkey's Erdogan says only solution on Cyprus is two states

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that the only way to resolve decades of dispute over Cyprus was to establish two states on the island, and a federation favoured by Athens would not be on the agenda of upcoming talks.

On Monday the leaders of Greece and Cyprus said they would only accept a peace deal for the Mediterranean island based on U.N. resolutions, rejecting the two-state formula supported by Turkey and Turkish Cypriots. Talks under United Nations auspices are planned for next month.

Erdogan also told lawmakers from his AK Party he could not meet Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis despite a resumption of talks between the two NATO members over their maritime disputes. Erdogan said Mitsotakis had "challenged" him, and called on the Greek premier to "know his limit".

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