Erdogan: Visit Of U.S. Congressmen To Northern Cyprus Means I Recognize You

ANKARA - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that visit of U.S. Congressmen to Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) meant 'I recognize you'' noting, ''you do not travel to a place you do not recognize.''
Speaking at a meeting, Erdogan mentioned Cyprus question and the referendum held in Cyprus.
''The situation in Turkey would be like the situation between Lebanon and Syria if we had continued the existing policies about Cyprus for years. In the end there would be an insistence on us to 'leave Cyprus'. We would resist this for sometime, and in the end we would have to leave,'' Erdogan said.
''Turkey has not escaped from the table; our interlocutors escaped from the table. Our brothers in TRNC voted ''yes'' to the UN plan, and the southern side voted ''no''. Isolation continues partly at the moment but nobody can put a different political pressure on TRNC. U.S. Congressmen visited TRNC and this means 'I recognize you'. This process will continue from now on. We have and will overcome the difficulties.''
Erdogan emphasized that Turkey was at a ''good'' but not ''adequate'' level in foreign policy.