TRNC

WNAM REPORT: President Ersin Tatar has received María Ángela Holguín, Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General yesterday.
Following his meeting, President Ersin Tatar made statements to the press.
Within the framework of the United Nations General Assembly week in New York, President Tatar announced that he is scheduled to meet with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and his delegation on 26 September, and to take part in a trilateral meeting with the Greek Cypriot leader on 27 September.
Stressing that he would once again bring the issue of crossing points to the attention of the Secretary-General in New York, President Tatar also requested Holguín’s initiatives regarding the matters of mixed marriages and prison conditions in Greek Cypriot side.
Stating that he had a fruitful meeting with Holguin, President Tatar reiterated that for a just, lasting, and sustainable settlement to the Cyprus problem, the removal of status inequality, as well as the recognition of sovereign equality and equal international status, are indispensable prerequisites.

WNAM REPORT: The Personal Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General, María Ángela Holguín, is set to visit Cyprus next week.

According to the information by the TRNC Presidency, Holguin will be received by President Ersin Tatar on Monday, 15 September, at 11am.

The visit is intended to lay the groundwork for the anticipated tripartite meeting in New York, to be convened by the Secretary-General during the United Nations General Assembly week, with the participation of President Tatar and the Greek Cypriot leader.

During her stay, Holguín is also expected to meet separately with Mr. Güneş Onar, Special Representative of President Tatar. Similar contacts with the Greek Cypriot side are envisaged.

WNAM REPORT:  The remarks made by the Spokesperson of the European Union regarding the ongoing judicial proceedings in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) concerning five citizens of the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus (GCA) constitute yet another example of the European Union’s one-sided and biased stance on the Cyprus issue.

As stated in our Ministry’s statement dated 14 August 2025, the proceedings in question are being carried out in full compliance with the principles of the independence of judiciary and the rule of law, which are enshrined in our Constitution. TRNC is a democratic State governed by the rule of law, where both our citizens and foreigners residing within our borders are treated on a par and fully enjoy the right to a fair trial. In this regard, we strongly condemn the inappropriate and disrespectful language employed by the EU Spokesperson, which is clearly intended to interfere with our independent judiciary.

With this statement, the EU Spokesperson has attempted to conceal the fact that it is, in fact, the Greek Cypriot side that persistently exploits the property issue in Cyprus for political purposes. As is well known, although a mechanism recognised by the European Court of Human Rights as an effective domestic remedy, namely the Immovable Property Commission,  exists, the Greek Cypriot side uses individual lawsuits as a political tool in a systematic and organised manner.

In the said statement, by referring to the outdated and obsolete resolutions of the United Nations Security Council as well as to the European Union acquis, which cannot be implemented in Cyprus, the EU Spokesperson essentially encourages the intransigent stance of the Greek Cypriot side and persistently ignores the fact that an agreement in Cyprus can only be possible on the basis of the realities of the island, namely between the two peoples and two sovereign equal States.

We once again strongly condemn the disrespectful and out-of-line remarks targeting our State and our judiciary, and call upon the European Union to immediately put an end to such biased approaches and refrain from becoming an instrument of Greek Cypriot propaganda.

WNAM MONITORING: The recent remarks by Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides, describing a lawful decision of our judiciary as “piracy,” constitute a direct insult to the Turkish Cypriot people and to the independence of our Courts. Such rhetoric reflects a deeply entrenched mentality that disregards mutual respect, the principle of equality, and the foundations of the rule of law.
Rather than pursuing dialogue and understanding, the Greek Cypriot leadership continues to manufacture tension through deliberate provocation. Notably, every constructive engagement we hold with the United Nations Secretary-General is followed by an orchestrated campaign of intimidation — an alarming pattern that includes politically motivated arrests and fear-mongering tactics.
This approach, which targets not only our judiciary but also seeks to intimidate the Turkish Cypriot people as a whole, lays bare the true intentions of our interlocutors. It is no secret that for years, the Greek Cypriot administration has engaged in the illicit collection of information, documents, and technical data from within our territory — data which is then funneled through its police force to be used in court proceedings. The current outcry is not born of principle, but of discomfort at the exposure and legal challenge of these unlawful practices.

We must state unequivocally: This hostile mindset, which seeks to weaponise international law enforcement mechanisms against Turkish Cypriots, now attempts to sideline the Immovable Property Commission — a legal body endorsed by the European Court of Human Rights that provides effective legal remedy to Greek Cypriot applicants in relation to properties in Northern Cyprus.  Such efforts to dismiss legitimate legal channels whilst doubling down on collective threats are not new, but they remain unacceptable.
As I have previously emphasised, the systematic campaign to exert pressure on the Turkish Cypriot people through fear and intimidation is nothing less than a policy of political terror. It has no place in a democratic society governed by justice and humanity. Those who believe they can subdue our people through coercion are gravely mistaken.
Today, we are witnessing the resurgence of this very same mentality — one that attacks our courts, undermines our institutions, and turns every opportunity into a pretext for hostility. We firmly reject this antagonistic posture and the inflammatory language that accompanies it. I condemn it in the strongest terms.

We stand united behind our State, our institutions, our judiciary, and above all, our people. The Turkish Cypriot people are not alone. They are resilient in the face of threats, and unwavering in their commitment to justice and sovereignty. No intimidation will shake their resolve.

WNAM REPORT: President of Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech at a ceremony held for the groundbreaking of Yeni Lefkoşa Public Hospital and the opening of Lefkoşa North Beltway Flyover Junction and Connected Roads Project in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Stating that they are, today, breaking the ground for the first section of the 320-bed Yeni Lefkoşa Public Hospital, President Erdoğan said that 110 intensive care beds, 12 surgery rooms and 80 polyclinics will be at the disposal of citizens in the hospital, which he underscored will be constructed according to international standards.
President Erdoğan said: “Tourism assumes a vital role in the economic growth and the global visibility of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. By renovating Ercan Airport in a way that befits the needs of the time, we have made the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus the shining star of the Eastern Mediterranean in not only transportation, but also in tourism, employment and investments.”
Stressing that they are in agreement with the TRNC President Ersin Tatar and the TRNC government in terms of building the TRNC’s political and economic future, President Erdoğan went on to say: “We fully support Mr. Tatar’s two-state solution vision. It is also time for the international community to make peace with the realities on the ground. It is high time to build diplomatic, political and economic relations with the TRNC, and to put an end to the decades-long injustices against the Turkish Cypriots.”
The event was attended by President Ersin Tatar and Turkish President Erdoğan, Speaker of the TRNC Assembly Ziya Öztürkler, Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, ministers, MPs, senior government and military officials, representatives of political parties and guests.

WNAM MONITORING: Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Ersin Tatar stressed Thursday that formal negotiations on the Cyprus issue will not resume unless the sovereign equality and international status of Turkish Cypriots are recognized.

“We obviously, in the last four years, have consolidated our new policy that unless our sovereign equality and equal international status is reaffirmed, we will not resume formal negotiations for the resolution of the Cyprus problem,” Tatar told reporters at a news conference at UN headquarters in New York following an informal meeting on Cyprus.

“Because we believe very much that these assets, our sovereign equality and international status, they are our inherent rights,” he added.

Tatar noted that he came to the meeting “with a positive, constructive and forward-looking agenda” but expressed “profound disappointment”” over incidents on the island following the previous informal meeting in Geneva in March.

“The actions of the Greek Cypriot leadership are causing Turkish Cypriot people to be anxious under pressure and increasingly threatened,” he said.

Saying that “many Turkish Cypriots are in fear over being arrested or detained in the event they cross to South Cyprus or when traveling abroad,” Tatar reaffirmed that “there are two states and two democracies, which reflect the will of the Turkish Cypriot people and the Greek Cypriot people, which have been in existence in Cyprus for the last six years.”

“If there is to be a new and formal negotiation process, it must be based on the realities on the ground, treating the two sides equally, fairly and with dignity,” he added.

Decades-long Cyprus problem

Cyprus has been mired in a decades-long dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the UN 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. As a result, 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 UK.

The Greek Cypriot Administration entered the EU in 2004, the same year that Greek Cypriots single-handedly blocked a UN plan to end the longstanding dispute.

WNAM REPORT: President Ersin Tatar departed on Tuesday morning to attend the 5+1 informal meeting on Cyprus which is a continuation of the 5+1 meeting held in New York on March 17-18, 2025.
President Tatar is accompanied by Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu, Special Representative Güneş Onar, Legal Advisor Sülen Karabacak, Confidence-Building Measures Coordinator Seniha Birand Çınar, International Relations Advisor Prof. Hüseyin Işıksal, and Foreign Press Officer Kerem Haser.
Prior to his departure, President Tatar held a press conference at Ercan Airport where he outlined the Turkish Cypriot side’s expectations and positions ahead of the high-level talks.
Tatar emphasized the importance of genuine cooperation and reaffirmed that the TRNC remains committed to dialogue that serves mutual interests and respects the sovereign equality of both sides.
He said the Turkish Cypriot side will participate in the expanded-format summit with a constructive approach aimed at achieving practical cooperation before any formal negotiation process resumes.
Meanwhile, the details of President Tatar’s schedule in New York have been finalized.
On July 16, the UN Secretary-General will hold separate bilateral meetings and official photographs with delegations, followed by a welcome dinner.
The main session of the 5+1 format talks will take place on July 17 at the UN Headquarters, featuring key discussions with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as well as bilateral meetings, including one with the UK Minister for Europe Stephen Doughty.
The delegation is scheduled to return to the TRNC on July 18.

WNAM MONITORING: The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) racked up significant gains and scored a victory at last week’s Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit in Azerbaijan, said the nation’s president.

“Our high-level participation in the ECO summit is a diplomatic victory,” Ersin Tatar told Anadolu on Tuesday.

Noting that during the meeting he met with the leaders of Turkic republics in Asia, as well as the leaders of Pakistan and Iran, Tatar said: “The flag of the TRNC waving in the section where the president of the Republic of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the president of Azerbaijan, llham Aliyev, were seated, and my representation of my country there as its president, is an indication that our status has been elevated. I was pleased by this.”

He expressed gratitude to Türkiye and Azerbaijan for preparing a high-level representation space for the TRNC at the summit:

“The member countries of ECO, apart from Türkiye, may not officially recognize us, but our presence there represents new developments and gains for the TRNC. It signifies an elevation in our status … All of this took place in the presence of heads of state,” he added.

Tatar also said that, in the past, TRNC officials were often ignored at similar international events, but thanks to support from Türkiye and Azerbaijan, this has changed at recent summits.

“We believe the recognition and respect we witnessed in Khankendi (Azerbaijan) will continue at future meetings. The next summit will be held in Türkiye, and this process will progress to better points for us,” he said.

Tatar underlined that Turkish Cypriots have gone through very difficult conditions since the 1960s to achieve first their freedom and then their statehood, and that the TRNC gained important ground at the ECO summit.

He expressed hope that TRNC’s acceptance and recognition in the international arena will improve over time.

Decades-long dispute

Cyprus has been mired in a decades-long dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the UN 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. As a result, 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 UK.

The Greek Cypriot Administration entered the EU in 2004, the same year Greek Cypriots single-handedly blocked a UN plan to end the longstanding dispute.

WNAM REPORT: President Ersin Tatar met with Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Secretary-General Ambassador Asad Majeed, as part of the 17th Leaders’ ECO Summit.

According to information released by the Presidential Complex, President Tatar expressed his gratitude to Secretary General Khan for his sincere interest in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), and emphasized that the TRNC is “contributing effectively to the ECO as an observer member”.

Highlighting the importance of the TRNC’s participation in all ECO meetings in order to contribute more actively to the work of the organization, President Tatar stated that the TRNC has significant economic expertise.

During the meeting, President Tatar also provided Secretary General Khan with a historical perspective on the Cyprus issue.

For his part, Secretary General Khan conveyed his pleasure at the TRNC’s involvement in ECO activities, and stated that the TRNC can offer substantial contributions to ECO member states, particularly in the fields of tourism and higher education. He also emphasized that thousands of students from ECO member countries are currently studying in the TRNC, and extended his thanks for the opportunities provided as well as the hospitality of the Turkish Cypriot people.

Also participating in the meeting were TRNC Representative to Baku, Ambassador Ufuk Turganer; Special Advisor to the President on International Relations and Diplomacy, Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Işıksal; Special Advisor to the President, Gökhan Güler; and Foreign Press Officer of the President, Kerem Haser.