Turkey’s relations with Egypt, the possibility of Ankara reaching an agreement with Cairo similar to the one it has made with Libya over maritime jurisdiction, and the connection such a development could have with Greece and Israel, were the subjects that Tayyip Erdogan was asked to talk about on the plane back from New York.

“The peace achieved between the two warring sides in Libya, mediated by Turkey, is a source of hope not only for the people of Libya but also for the entire region. The good relations we have established with Egypt and the joint exercises of our naval forces in the Mediterranean after 13 years of interruption are concrete indicators of Turkey’s role in the peace and security of the region. Turkey and Egypt are two important countries in our region. Progress in our relations in recent years has reached historic levels. We are working to increase these areas of cooperation,” the Turkish president said, adding, “Turkey has no ambition regarding the rights or sovereignty of anyone. However, it is also determined to protect its own rights and interests. Our approach to resources in the Mediterranean is clear. We will take our share of these resources and cooperate with our neighbours based on the principle of mutual benefit (kazan-kazan). Turkey’s decisive stance is causing upheaval in the region. Turkey now has a voice at the negotiating table; it is a decision-making and guiding force.”

On the Cyprus issue, the Turkish president did not change his stance, insisting on a two-state solution: “Our stance and policy on Cyprus is clear. The question of the federation is now closed for us. Nobody can bring us back to the discussions on federation with puns. Turkish Cypriots will never accept being a minority on the island. The only realistic solution is to accept the existence of two separate states on the island. We have already stated this clearly in our speech to the United Nations General Assembly. We reiterated our position there and stated it to the whole world. It would be a mistake to expect that this position will change. We want the elections in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to be auspicious. We believe that the Turkish Cypriot people will make the right and most appropriate choice. As a motherland and guarantor, we will never abandon our Turkish Cypriot brothers and sisters.”