Prime Minister Faiz Sucuoğlu has described his contacts in the Turkish capital as meaningful and constructive.

Speaking to reporters at Ercan Airport on Thursday on his return from Ankara,  Sucuoğlu said the he was pleased to see that Turkey, as always, was extending its full support to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

“Our morale was further boosted. We have a country of 84 million that is backing us unconditionally,” the prime minister told reporters at a late night press conference.

Explaining that his programme during his two-day visit had been intense, Sucuoğlu said that he had met with the Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay for over an hour during which they discussed the economy, infrastructure projects and other issues.

Pointing out that he had also been received by the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, he said, “It was a fruitful meeting which lasted for an hour and a half. We discussed in detail what can be done for the TRNC. I had the opportunity to brief the president in detail on the state of the economy.”

Sucuoğlu said that his other contacts included a meeting with the Deputy head of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Numan Kurtulmuş, former AKP leader Binalı Yıldırım, the Speaker of the Turkish Parliament Mustafa Şentop and the Turkish Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca.

“We received a warm welcome wherever we went,” he said.

Sucuoğlu also confirmed that the foundations of the new Lefkoşa state hospital will be laid this year.

He added that his Undersecretary Hüseyin Amcaoğlu and Finance Ministry Undersecretary Özdemir Kalkanlı also held a series of meetings with Turkish officials concerning financial and economic issues between the two countries.

Sucuoğlu pointed out that a new economic protocol will be signed with Turkey following the January 23 elections.

“We are no longer seeking financial assistance from Turkey but are striving to work for a TRNC that can stand on its own feet,” he said.