Turkish Cypriots strive to gain worldwide recognition as the divided island remains only partially recognized. Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Ersin Tatar once again brought the issue to the spotlight in New York, where the U.N. General Assembly convened last week.
“Our state, which we established with our free will, needs to be recognized,” Tatar said, speaking with Turkish Cypriots in New York, where he traveled to hold talks amid last week’s U.N. General Assembly. According to a statement on Sunday by his presidential office, Tatar underlined that recognition of the TRNC and cooperation could bring stability to the entire region.
He said Turkish Cypriots living abroad were united and always connected to their homeland, highlighting the importance that future generations maintain their ties with the TRNC. Tatar also acknowledged the support that Ankara provides in this regard, pointing out President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s address to the assembly, where he expressed the need to end injustices against Turkish Cypriots, end the ongoing embargo and isolation of the TRNC, and recognize its independence. This support is crucial for promoting and gaining recognition for their just cause worldwide, Tatar said. He also stressed the importance of enhancing relationships with different countries, emphasizing that the TRNC was the homeland where Turkish Cypriots could live independently in the future.
The East Mediterranean island of Cyprus has been mired in a decadeslong dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, despite a series of diplomatic efforts to achieve a comprehensive settlement. Ethnic attacks starting in the early 1960s forced Turkish Cypriots to withdraw into enclaves for their safety. In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at Greece’s annexation of the island led to Türkiye’s military intervention as a guarantor power to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence. The TRNC was founded in 1983. It has seen an on-and-off peace process in recent years, including a failed 2017 initiative in Switzerland under the auspices of guarantor countries Türkiye, Greece and the U.K. The Greek Cypriot administration was admitted to the EU in 2004, the same year when Greek Cypriots thwarted a U.N. plan to end the longstanding dispute.
