ANKARA, June 12. /TASS/. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that for Turkey the recognition of the equal status of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is a prerequisite for resolving the issue of the divided island.

"We cannot afford to lose another 50 years. International confirmation of the equal status of the TRNC is a prerequisite for us. If there is a need for return to the negotiating table, the way to do so is through the recognition of the TRNC," Erdogan told a news conference on Monday during his first foreign visit to Northern Cyprus since his re-election. The event was telecast Turkish television channels.

"The Turkish side has always taken a constructive and result-oriented stance on the Cyprus issue. The demands of the Turkish Cypriots are very clear and fair. They have never been a minority on the island and they will never be one," Erdogan pointed out. He urged the Greek side "to see these realities." It is "because of the stubbornness and maximalism of South Cyprus the problem has not been resolved to date," he said.