Gul sends message to TRNC's Talat marking 34th anniversary of Cyprus peace and freedom operation

President Abdullah Gul yesterday sent a message to Mehmet Ali Talat, the president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), to mark the 34th anniversary of the 1974 Peace and Freedom Operation as conducted by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). "There are two politically equal nations, democracies and states on Cyprus," Gul said in his message, adding that peace and stability on the island can only be ensured through a solution based on the facts on the ground. He said that Turkey, as a guarantor state, backs the establishment of a new partnership on Cyprus. Gul also reaffirmed Turkey's determination to support the development of the TRNC.