Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is ready to journey to the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Monday for a two-day official go to. He has mentioned he’ll ship “excellent news” within the breakaway state.
However the go to may additionally additional stoke tensions with Greek Cypriots and the European Union over the divided Jap Mediterranean island, already excessive over Turkish ambitions within the area and its help for a two-state resolution to the Cyprus dispute.
On Tuesday, Erdogan will attend an occasion marking the forty seventh anniversary of Turkey’s army intervention – seen as an invasion by Greek Cypriots – on the island and can handle the Northern Cyprus parliament in a particular session.
“I hope we are going to give messages in the perfect method attainable for the institution of the world peace for the island and the entire world by the ceremonies [in Northern Cyprus],” he mentioned in remarks on Friday.
“We’ve got a very good step. We’ve got completed the preliminary research,” the Turkish president mentioned, with out giving any additional particulars on the difficulty.
The island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey militarily intervened in response to a quick Greek-backed coup. Turkey mentioned it acted in accordance with a Treaty of Assure, signed in 1960 when the Republic of Cyprus was established, which permits Greece, Turkey and the UK to intervene in disputes.
Because the institution of the TRNC in 1983, the north has been described as an “occupied a part of Cyprus” by the United Nations Safety Council. Solely Turkey recognises the so-called TRNC as an unbiased state.
The Republic of Cyprus, which controls the south of the island and has a Greek Cypriot authorities, grew to become an EU member in 2004.
Repeated diplomatic initiatives over many years to finish the dispute have failed.
A UN-initiated gathering in Geneva final April did not dealer a deal between Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders to renew negotiations stalled in 2017. An Ankara-backed Turkish Cypriot push for a two-state resolution to the dispute in Geneva solely escalated tensions.
The Greek Cypriot facet, and the worldwide neighborhood generally, again a federal resolution.
Mensur Akgun, a professor of worldwide relations at Istanbul Kultur College, mentioned Erdogan is anticipated to strongly underline his help for a two-state resolution to the island’s dispute throughout his go to.
“Turkey has progressively shifted its stance from a federal resolution on the island to two-state resolution as a settlement couldn’t be discovered to the dispute on the grounds of the previous after many years of talks,” he informed Al Jazeera.
“Nevertheless, Turkey has not but put ahead a highway map to persuade the worldwide neighborhood and the Greek Cypriot to divert into this route,” Akgun mentioned, including that this needs to be the subsequent step on the Turkish facet.
EU’s stance
European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen mentioned on Thursday the EU would “by no means settle for” a two-state proposal for an answer in Cyprus.
“I need to repeat that we are going to by no means, ever, settle for a two-state resolution, we’re agency on that and really united, and that is what Cyprus can anticipate,” von der Leyen said throughout a go to to the island.
“Probably the most valuable half is unity within the EU, and the information that every one 26 member states on the European stage are standing by your facet,” she mentioned, talking alongside President Nicos Anastasiades.
Akgun mentioned with a purpose to persuade the world to simply accept a two-state resolution, Ankara ought to promote Northern Cyprus as an unbiased entity and deal with the de facto state as its equal.
“It also needs to begin speaking to the Greek Cypriot facet and provide one thing to them with a purpose to persuade them into [agreeing to] a two-state resolution,” he added.
Throughout his Northern Cyprus go to, Erdogan, as he did in November 2020, is anticipated to pay a go to to the deserted seaside resort of Varosha, whose Greek Cypriot residents fled in the course of the 1974 Turkish incursion.
In his November go to to the island, Erdogan went to Varosha and mentioned the world can be reopened to the general public and that Greek Cypriots would be capable of apply at a Turkish Cypriot fee, the Immovable Property Fee, to say rights to their properties within the resort.
Turkey can also be at odds with Greece, one other EU member, over vitality assets and jurisdiction within the waters within the Jap Mediterranean, and the nations got here to the verge of a army confrontation final 12 months as Turkish vessels explored for hydrocarbons within the area.
Erdogan has repeatedly mentioned Turkey wouldn’t stop exploratory actions within the Jap Mediterranean amid Greek and EU opposition.
Comply with Umut Uras on Twitter @Um_Uras