“Fundamentally, it concerns the recognition of the sovereign equality and international status of the Turkish Cypriot people.” Erdoğan said no initiative that disregards the “sovereign equality, inherent rights and legitimate interests” of Turkish Cypriots in the eastern Mediterranean could succeed. He also said Turkey would not abandon the Turkish Cypriot community and would continue to defend its interests “whatever the cost.” The ministry accused the Greek Cypriot side of maintaining an “intransigent stance” and said previous models for resolving the dispute had been exhausted. A UN-patrolled buffer zone separates the internationally recognized Greek Cypriot government in the south from the Turkish Cypriot administration in the north.