Turkey says it will only join Cyprus talks with two-state proposal

Turkey will only join talks to resolve decades of dispute over Cyprus with a proposal to establish two states on the island, presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Thursday, adding previous failed proposals should not be on the agenda. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday the only way to resolve the Cyprus dispute was a two-state solution, and a federation favoured by Athens and the island's internationally-recognised Greek government would not be on the agenda of upcoming U.N.-led talks.

"We cannot discuss the things we discussed for 40 years for another 40 years," Kalin told an interview with broadcaster TRT Haber, referring to decades of failed talks to unite the island.