Erdogan pledges unwavering solidarity with Turkish Cypriats

In a message commemorating Republic Day, President Erdogan honored the nation's martyrs and veterans, declaring on NSosyal, "We will never abandon our national cause, Cyprus." He affirmed that Ankara would persistently fortify its solidarity with the Turkish Cypriot people across all domains. TRNC President Tufan Erhurman echoed the day's significance, emphasizing the decades-long resilience of the Turkish Cypriot community in safeguarding its existence and rights on the island. He reiterated a determined pursuit of a settlement to secure lasting peace and stability for Cyprus and the wider region.

The Historical Dispute

The Cyprus issue remains a protracted diplomatic challenge, characterized by decades of strife between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. Following ethnic-based violence in the early 1960s that forced Turkish Cypriots into enclaves, the 1974 Greek Cypriot coup aiming for unification with Greece prompted Türkiye's military intervention as a guarantor power. This action paved the way for the eventual proclamation of the TRNC in 1983, a state recognized solely by Türkiye.

A Stalled Peace Process

Numerous United Nations-mediated talks have sought a comprehensive solution to reunify the island. A significant effort in 2017 in Switzerland, involving the guarantor powers—Türkiye, Greece, and the UK—ultimately collapsed. The peace process has been further complicated by the Greek Cypriot Administration's accession to the European Union in 2004, the same year Greek Cypriots rejected a UN-backed reunification plan in a referendum.