Turkey's president and the newly-elected northern Cyprus leader voiced their support on Monday for the resumption of peace talks for Cyprus based on a solution envisioning two states.

Speaking at a news conference with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar in Ankara as part of his first visit since being elected on October 18, Turkish President Erdogan said peace efforts seeking a federal solution to divided Cyprus had been tried before and would be a "waste of time." Erdogan said he believed a two-state solution needs to be brought to the negotiating table with a realistic approach.

Tatar, an Ankara-backed hardline politician who won the election last week, said a meeting due to be convened shortly by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres could test the ground for a two-state arrangement. He has reiterated his support for a two-state solution, a marked change from his predecessor who backed reunification with the Greek-speaking majority.

Tatar said a Turkish proposal to hold an informal meeting between Turkey, the northern Cyprus, Greek Cypriots, Greece and the UN was "the last chance" for an agreement on Cyprus.

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Cyprus was split since 1974 when Turkey invaded, following a coup by Cypriots who wanted a union with Greece. The EU admitted the island into the bloc in 2004, represented by the internationally-recognized Greek Cypriot government in the south. Its north of the island, a breakaway by Turkish Cypriots, is only recognized by Turkey, and heavily dependent on Ankara for economic and military support.

Earlier this month, the northern Cyprus partially reopened the beach town of Varosha, a fenced-off resort area abandoned since 1974, a move criticized by the U.S., Greece and Greek Cypriots.

President Erdogan, who plans to visit the northern Cyprus on November 15, said he wanted to have a picnic in Varosha.

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