Erdogan calls on Turkic states to support the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is expected to become a full member of the Organization of Turkic States in the near future. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made this announcement on May 21 during his speech at the informal summit of the Organization’s Heads of State and Government held in Budapest, Hungary.

President Erdogan began his address by urging the member and observer states of the organization to continue supporting the Northern Cypriot Turks’ struggle for freedom and justice, whom he described as “close to our hearts.” He emphasized the importance of standing firm on a righteous path and defending just causes.

"The tragedies that have occurred in Cyprus, Karabakh, Bosnia, and today in Gaza remind us that we must think beyond our borders. Any opportunity to make our voices heard responds to humanity's need for a just order, fair distribution, and a system based on the rule of law," Erdogan stated.

In this context, he highlighted the significance of the Council of Elders meeting held in the TRNC earlier this month, calling it a symbolic milestone.

“We believe that the family picture of the Turkic world is incomplete without the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Therefore, we see the decision we made today at our summit on granting the TRNC observer status in the Turkic Academy as a very important additional step. I hope that we will see the day when we accept the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as a full member of our organization in the not too distant future,” Erdogan said.

He also called on other heads of state in the organization to express solidarity by supporting the TRNC more actively.

Notably, the two observer members of the Organization of Turkic States — Turkmenistan and the (unrecognized) Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus — did not attend the informal meeting.

SCTR and the Samarkand Summit

It should be recalled that during the first Central Asia-European Union summit held on April 3–4 of this year, the leaders of Central Asian countries and top EU officials adopted a joint statement in which they reaffirmed their commitment to international law.

In paragraph 4 of the statement, the sides pledged to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states in all international and regional forums, and to refrain from actions contradicting these principles. The statement further noted:

“In the same spirit, we reaffirm our commitment to UN Security Council resolutions 541 (1983) and 550 (1984). We stressed that participation in regional cooperation structures should be guided by these international principles, which is of great importance for the development of relations between the EU and Central Asia. In this regard, Turkmenistan recalled that it will strictly implement its international obligations in accordance with the principles of permanent neutrality.”

UN Security Council Resolutions 541 and 550 call for the non-recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and prohibit any form of cooperation with it. This suggests that the three Central Asian member states of the Turkic States Organization — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan — as well as Turkmenistan, which holds observer status, adhere to these resolutions, even while participating in the same regional organization where the TRNC has been granted observer status since the Samarkand Summit in November 2022.

Legal status of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

The island of Cyprus has been divided along ethnic lines since Turkey’s military intervention in 1974, following a coup d’état by pro-Enosis forces seeking to unite the island with Greece. Following the intervention, approximately 37% of the island came under Turkish control. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was declared in 1983 and is recognized only by Turkey. Turkey maintains a military presence of around 40,000 troops in the territory. The southern part of the island remains under the control of the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus, inhabited primarily by Greek Cypriots.

The TRNC is economically, politically, and militarily dependent on Turkey. The Republic of Cyprus and the United Nations regard the TRNC as an occupying force. Nonetheless, the TRNC holds observer status in both the Organization of Turkic States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has an estimated population of 294,906 and covers a territory of 3,355 km². The majority of its population consists of ethnic Turks, with enclaves of Greek Cypriots and Lebanese Maronites also residing in the area. Its capital is Lefkoşa (Nicosia), a city divided between the Republic of Cyprus and the TRNC.

The island is divided by a UN-monitored buffer zone that separates the two sides and is patrolled by the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus.