Gov’t must up efforts for Turkish Cyprus: CHP

ANKARA

The deputy chairman of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has urged the government to step up efforts for the international recognition of the Turkish Cyprus.

Speaking to journalists in parliament on Nov. 12, Öztürk Yılmaz suggested the appointment of a “special envoy” to work “exclusively” towards this end.

Yılmaz recalled that the general elections would be held in Turrkish Cyprus on Jan. 7, followed by elections in the Greek Cypriot administration of southern Cyprus three weeks later.

“If the [unification] negotiations are not yielding a result, then the international
recognition of TRNC [The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus]must be put on the [government] agenda,” he said, referring to the on-again, off-again peace process on the divided island in recent years.

Turkey has blamed Greek Cypriot intransigence after the latest initiative in Switzerland under the auspices of guarantor countries Turkey, Greece, and Britain collapsed earlier this year. Ankara has also faulted the European Union for admitting Cyprus as a divided island into the union in 2004, after the Greek Cypriot administration rejected a peace deal.

Yılmaz said the government must take “strong” steps to bring the recognition issue to the attention of the international community, and “get results.”

The Eastern Mediterranean island has been divided since a 1974 military intervention of Turkey in response to a Greece-inspired Greek Cypriot military coup.

Turkish Cyprus is currently recognized only by Turkey as an independent state.