Before returning to Ankara yesterday, after a two day official visit to Northern Cyprus, newly elected Turkish President Abdullah Gul delivered a speech in the Northern Cypriot Parliament, responding to a recent declaration by Southern Cypriot leader Tasos Papadopoulos in which he characterized the Turkish armed forces as the "greatest enemy."

Gul noted yesterday that the presence of the Turkish armed forces on the island mean peace and serenity for both the Turkish and Greek sides. Gul also warned that neither Turkey nor its military would accept "inappropriate declarations" that target their forces, Hurriyet reports.