Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akıncı was in Ankara as the state guest of the Turkish Republic and once again Turkey gave the leader of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) a grand welcome that is accorded to Turkey's friends. Here, of course, the TRNC is not just a friend of Turkey but its closest relative.

When Akıncı won the presidential elections with a 60 percent landslide victory against his conservative rival Derviş Eroğlu, who was close to Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), there was speculation in Ankara that the new president would steer the Turkish Cypriots away from Ankara and follow his own policy of getting closer to the Greek Cypriots. Some even went further to suggest he would eventually help merge with the Greeks.

What they did not understand is that despite his left-wing position, Akıncı, like many other people of his generation, knows well what the Greek Cypriots have done to the Turks on the island and knows the scars of the Greek Cypriot atrocities of the past cannot be wiped away with the carrot dangling in front of the Turkish Cypriots, which is membership to the European Union in some form or another.

He does have strong left-wing views which should be considered an asset for the Turkish Cypriots in their upcoming negotiations with the Greeks for a solution to the Cyprus problem. He seems to be a greater asset to break the uncompromising attitude of the Greek Cypriot hawks that have always sabotaged the peace process on Cyprus. His liberal attitude is bound to gain favorable marks among the political corridors of the European Union and the member states.

The fact that as the Turkish Cypriot mayor of the Turkish sector of Nicosia has a constructive attitude toward the Greek Cypriot municipality and the atmosphere of cooperation he created should be fresh in the minds of everyone in Cyprus.

While writing in the honorary book after visiting the mausoleum of Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, Akıncı says "there is no doubt that the Turkish Republic that you founded will live forever as a democratic and secular state." He also adds that as the president of the people "who adopted and applied your revolutions from the first day (of the founding of the TRNC) without any pressure I bow with respect before you."

So Akıncı's position is clear. He will continue being Turkey's best ally but he will not allow any outside interference in the secular and democratic format of the TRNC. He will be the best of friends and continue emphasizing the fraternal bonds between the TRNC and mainland Turkey but he will do his best to improve the economic and social structures of the TRNC to allow it to eventually stand on its two feet. This is where Ankara should step in and encourage Akıncı.

In the past Turkey has been seen interfering in Turkish Cypriot politics. Unfortunately we have also created the image that Ankara controls the Turkish Cypriot bureaucracy, which has hurt the credibility and the respectability of the Turkish Cypriot administration in the international arena.

Now Akıncı has a chance to change that image and reverse the trend. That will also help Turkey promote the Turkish Cypriots in the international scene and create respectability for Akıncı. But for this the Ankara leadership has to be more facilitating towards Akıncı. It seems the current visit of Akıncı to Ankara can help this cause as he explains himself to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu.