Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides on Monday responded to Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s comments that an “imperialist game” is being played in the Cyprus area.

This was reported by “European Pravda” with reference to Cyprus Mail.

Earlier on Monday, Erdogan once again called for a solution to the Cyprus conflict based on a two-state solution – that is, recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

“They (Turkish Cypriots. – Ed.) have not given up their desire to live with dignity in their homeland. They have not questioned their sovereign equality. We are receiving clear signals that a new imperialist game is being played in our region, and they are trying to drag Cyprus into it,” he said.

In response, the Cypriot president said that “the only party behaving in an imperialist manner in the region, trying to implement a neo-Ottoman approach, is Turkey.”

He added that he would work towards a peaceful solution to the Cyprus problem and planned to talk to the new “leader” of the Turkish Cypriots, Tufan Erhurman.

The Mediterranean island of Cyprus has been effectively divided into two parts since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded after a coup aimed at unifying Cyprus with Greece.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognized only by Turkey, was established in the north of Cyprus. There are currently nine checkpoints along the “green line” that separates the two sides and is patrolled by the UN.

Turkey insists that a peaceful settlement of the situation in Cyprus is only possible through the creation of two states.