The north’s ‘foreign minister’ Tahsin Ertugruloglu said on Friday the north has “no expectations” from United Nations Envoy in Cyprus Maria Angela Holguin.

He was speaking to journalists in Ankara following meetings with Turkish ministers in light of Holguin’s visit to Turkey.

“We do not have any expectations from her. It is not possible. She does not know the Cyprus problem anyway, but hopefully she will be able to determine exactly what the problem is from the contacts she will make within these six months,” he said.

He also moved to warn Holguin of the line she should take in her work on the Cyprus problem, saying “if she falls within the sphere of influence of the five permanent UN Security Council members and takes an approach which is incompatible with the facts, this will only erode her credibility.”

He also doubled down on his view that the Cyprus problem should be solved on the basis of a two-state solution, saying “the fact that we are on the same island and have been partners in the past does not mean we have an obligation to establish a partnership with the Greek Cypriots as if it were God’s command.”

Despite his scorn regarding the UN Security Council’s belief in a federal solution to the Cyprus problem, he did see some positives in the UN’s renewed interest in the island.

“Everyone is talking about the Cyprus problem. That is a good thing, let’s have it solved, but let’s first find out what the Cyprus problem really is.”

“It is not possible to solve a problem that has been misdiagnosed. After making an incorrect diagnosis, nothing you say will solve the problem.”

He also compared the Cyprus problem with the ongoing situation in Gaza, saying “there is a genocide happening right now next to us in Gaza. We are living comfortably in the TRNC. Why? Because of the presence of Turkish soldiers.”

“There is no other way for us to go than to act together with our motherland Turkey. We have full confidence in our motherland. We are as strong as the strength of our motherland,” he said.

With this in mind, he laughed off the prospect of the Greek Cypriot side bolstering its defence capabilities.

“Let them be armed as much as they want. The chance of military success against Turkey in this region is not even zero. They are wasting their money for nothing. They are making useless literature and even boring their own people.

“If they were smart, they would find a way to have good relations with Turkey,” he said.