Türkiye marks 41st anniversary of Turkish Cyprus"

ANKARA

Türkiye has reaffirmed its unwavering support for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on the occasion of its 41st anniversary, celebrated on Nov. 15.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan celebrated the anniversary on X, sending a message of solidarity and remembrance.

"I congratulate the 41st anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, our friend and brother, the guarantor of peace, justice, and stability in the Mediterranean," Erdoğan wrote.

Erdoğan also paid tribute to the "heroic martyrs" and veterans who fought to ensure the safety and sovereignty of the Turkish Cypriot community, sending affectionate greetings to his "Turkish Cypriot brothers and sisters."

The Turkish Foreign Ministry echoed this sentiment, stating that as the "motherland and guarantor," Türkiye will always stand by the Turkish Cypriots, safeguarding their rights and interests. The ministry hailed the TRNC as "the foremost symbol of the Turkish Cypriots' struggle for sovereignty and freedom."

Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz marked the anniversary by attending a wreath-laying ceremony at the Atatürk Monument in the TRNC capital, Lefkoşa, alongside TRNC President Ersin Tatar.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also commemorated the milestone, reiterating Türkiye's commitment to ensuring the "sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriots, the rightful co-owners of the island."

Fidan stressed the unbreakable bond between Türkiye and the TRNC, stating, "Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, regardless of the circumstances, will always stand united."

The Turkish National Defense Ministry added on X: "Just as we have been until today, we will continue to stand by the Turkish Cypriots from now on!"

The celebrations come against the backdrop of a decades-long dispute on the divided island of Cyprus. Ethnic tensions and violence in the 1960s forced Turkish Cypriots to withdraw into enclaves for their safety. In 1974, Türkiye's military intervention, as a guarantor power, led to the establishment of the TRNC following a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at annexation.

The Greek Cypriot Administration was admitted to the European Union in 2004, the same year Greek Cypriots thwarted a UN plan to end the longstanding dispute.

Türkiye fully supports a two-state solution on the island of Cyprus based on sovereign equality and equal international status.