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Northern Cyprus isrecognised only by Turkey, a country which facilitates many of its contacts with the international community. After it was occupied byTurkey, Northern Cyprus' relations with the rest of the world were further complicated by a series ofUnited Nations resolutions which declared its independencelegally invalid. A2004 UN Referendum on settling theCyprus dispute wasaccepted by theTurkish Cypriots butrejected by theGreek Cypriots. After that, theEuropean Uniondeclared its intentions to assist in reducing the economic isolation of Northern Cyprus and began giving aid to the territory. However, due to pressure fromGreece and theRepublic of Cyprus, this aid coming from EU funds cannot be used on Greek Cypriot land and property nor on public bodies. As a result,these funds can be used only on 29% of people on the island of Cyprus (those under thede facto control of Northern Cyprus).[1]
There is anembargo against the entity in many areas, decisively affecting its attempts at international contacts and representation.[2][3][4]
Turkey is the only country which recognises Northern Cyprus.
Rumors thatPakistan andBangladesh briefly recognized Northern Cyprus right after itsdeclaration of independence have persisted.[5] At the time, Bangladesh denied that it recognized Northern Cyprus.[6] However, a 2017 study of Britishdiplomatic cables concluded that though Pakistan never recognized Northern Cyprus, Bangladesh seemingly extended recognition in 1983 "but quickly regretted the decision and so decided to pretend that it had not."[5] Pakistan and Bangladesh were reportedly persuaded to withhold recognition under the threat that they would risk losingUS foreign aid.[7]
In 2005,Yahya Jammeh, thenPresident ofthe Gambia, said that his country was ready to recognise the independence of Northern Cyprus. The Cypriot government protested and The Gambia did not recognise the TRNC.[8]
TheNakhichivan Autonomous Republic (anexclave of Azerbaijan) had issued a resolution in the mid-1990s recognising the TRNC's independence, butAzerbaijan itself has yet refrained to officially support this decision due to theNagorno-Karabakh issue. Azerbaijan is sympathetic to the TRNC, but theRepublic of Cyprus could recogniseNagorno-Karabakh if Azerbaijan officially recognised the TRNC.[9][better source needed] Lately high level contacts betweenAzerbaijan and Northern Cyprus have increased.Faiz Sucuoğlu,TRNC's Prime Minister at the time expressed his hope in 2022 that Azerbaijan would recognise his country.[10]
TRNC Foreign MinisterTahsin Ertuğruloğlu made a call to the members ofOIC on 23 September 2022, at a coordination meeting of the Organization's ministers of foreign affairs, at New York, to recognize his country,[11] only a couple of days after a similar call by the President of Turkey to the international community at the77th UNGA.[12]
Northern Cyprus is recognised by theCommonwealth of Nations as a part of the Republic of Cyprus, not as an independent country.
In July 2024, at the summit of theOrganization of Turkic States the Azerbaijani President,Ilham Aliyev congratulated the President of Northern Cyprus,Ersin Tatar for the 50 years since theTurkish invasion of Cyprus and mentioned that the participation in the Turkic summit is a crucial step towards the recognition of Northern Cyprus.[13]
Since the establishment of the TRNC in 1983, onlyTurkey maintains a resident embassy in Northern Cyprus, and opened a Consulate General inFamagusta in mid January 2023.[14] TheTRNC has an embassy inAnkara andconsulates in several major cities of Turkey.
In various other countries, the TRNC hasrepresentative offices, some of which are unofficial. Turkey represents the TRNC's interests in countries without such offices. InNorth Nicosia (the Turkish Cypriot-administered northern half), both the BritishHigh Commissioner to Cyprus and the United StatesAmbassador to Cyprus have their formal residences, though since these residences had been in use since before 1963, it is not indicative of formal recognition of the TRNC by the United Kingdom or United States. In the same situation are the representative offices maintained by Australia, France, Germany, South Korea.
In May 2015, theEU Infopoint office that aims to bring theTurkish Cypriots closer to the EU, has been inaugurated inNorth Nicosia.[15]
Honorary Representatives are also appointed by the TRNC in various other cities to represent the TRNC and to assist the primary TRNC Representative Offices.
United States, United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, France, Pakistan and Azerbaijan have representation offices in Northern Nicosia. As well, Northern Cyprus has a number of representations in other countries with various status.
The currentForeign Minister isTahsin Ertuğruloğlu. He is holding this position for the fourth time, since 1983.[16]
On 9 August 2022,Ilham Aliyev, thePresident of Azerbaijan met withTRNC PresidentErsin Tatar inKonya and regarded Northern Cyprus officially as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus".[17] Ersin Tatar also visitedAzerbaijan on 13-14 October 2023 and met with Aliyev again.[18][19]
On 27 September 2024, Foreign minister ofNorthern Cyprus,Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu and Foreign minister ofBurkina Faso, Karamako Jean-Marie Traoré, met during margins of the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.[20]
After theRepublic of Cyprus became a member of theEuropean Union, thesouthern part of the island became part of the Customs Union of the EU. TheNorthern part of the island is excluded from the Customs Union. In spite of that, the Green Line regulations are intended to ease trade relations betweenNorthern Cyprus and the EU.[citation needed]
The "identity cards" issued by the State ofNorthern Cyprus is a valid document accepted byRepublic of Cyprus for border crossings betweenthe north andthe south.[21]
In 2011 and 2012, the then President of Northern CyprusDerviş Eroğlu and President ofEquatorial GuineaTeodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo held meetings in New York, US.[22][23]
In 2023, the president ofNorthern Cyprus,Ersin Tatar, strongly protested France's naval base in the southern part of the island of Cyprus[24] which Northern Cyprus considers illegal.[25]
In 2022, the President ofNorthern Cyprus,Ersin Tatar, received theVice President of The Gambia,Badara Alieu Joof, who invited President Tatar to The Gambia.[26]
Although Germany does not maintain official relations withNorthern Cyprus, it has wide-ranging contact with representatives of the Turkish Cypriots.[27]
In 2014, the-then Turkish Cypriot negotiatorKudret Özersay and his delegation was received by the Secretary General of the Greek Foreign Ministry,Anastasios Mitsialis.[28][29]
In 2008, the minister of Economy, Finance and Planning ofGuinea,Ousmane Doré, visitedNorthern Cyprus and met withTurgay Avcı, the then minister of Foreign Affairs of Northern Cyprus.[30][31]
On 18 February 2008, the President of the TRNC,Mehmet Ali Talat, congratulated the people ofKosovo on their new-found independence, in opposition to the Republic of Cyprus, whichhas not recognised Kosovo as an independent state. However, presidential spokesmanHasan Ercakica stated that the TRNC was not preparing to officially recognise Kosovo.[32] In contrast, theRepublic of Cyprus has rejected Kosovo's declaration of independence and, given theICJ ruling that Kosovo's declaration of independence was not illegal, stating that Kosovo and Northern Cyprus were not analogous situations.[33]
In2008 Kyrgyzstan earthquake, Northern Cyprus helpedKyrgyzstan and granted tents, blankets, tons of food, construction materials (cement, covering slate, timber and bricks), power generators, wood stoves, and warm clothes.[34] In 2016, a common Turkish Cypriot–Kyrgyz business cooperation forum was held in Kyrgyzstan.[35]
On 30 October 2011,Libya andNorthern Cyprus signed the Cooperation on Health Services Protocol. The protocol included to reserve 250 beds at theNear East University hospital inNorth Nicosia for the treatment of injured Libyans.[36][37][38]
On 5 August 2023, Malaysia allowed theTurkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to open a trade office in Malaysia.[39][40]
In February 2017, the president ofNorthern Cyprus,Mustafa Akıncı was received by thePresident of Pakistan,Mamnoon Hussain.[41]
On 4 August 2023, the signing of a memorandum of understanding on higher education was agreed betweenNorthern Cyprus andPakistan.[42]
On 8 November 2023, the President of TRNC, Ersin Tatar met with Pakistan's Prime MinisterAnwaar ul Haq Kakar inTashkent, during the XVI.ECO Summit.[43]
In February 2008,Vladimir V. Putin, the President of the Russian Federation, equated the Northern Cyprus situation with that resulting from a unilateral Kosovo declaration of independence, which he opposes, in order to point out European countries' double standards in their desire to recognize Kosovo region as an independent state.[44]
On 2 September 2008, the Russian Ambassador to Turkey announced that if Turkey recognized the Georgian breakaway regions ofSouth Ossetia andAbkhazia, Russia would recognize the TRNC as an independent country.[45] Later, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rejected this variant.[46]
In September 2023, Russia started consular services inNorthern Cyprus.[47][48]
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The TRNC fully supports Turkey's bid to join the European Union. As part of this bid, Turkey signed a protocol extending itscustoms union to the new EU members, including the Republic of Cyprus, which Turkey does not recognise.[citation needed] Turkey made sure this was not tantamount to recognition with the inclusion of a declaration, stipulating their continued policy of non-recognition of what they describe as the "Greek Cypriot administration of Southern Cyprus" until a settlement is reached. This declaration is not accepted by the EU which did not accept this statement as forming part of the acquis and expects Turkey to fully abide to its obligations against the Republic of Cyprus. The TRNC views any move by the EU to force Turkish recognition of the Republic of Cyprus as an effort to cut them off from their base of support.[49]
On 21 September 2011,Turkey andNorthern Cyprus signed the EEZ border agreement in New York.[50][51]
The UK maintains a dialogue with the Turkish Cypriot community, although still does not recognizeNorthern Cyprus.[52]
On 3 February 2017, TheUnited Kingdom's High Court stated "There was no duty in theUnited Kingdom law upon the Government to refrain from recognizingNorthern Cyprus. TheUnited Nations itself works withNorthern Cyprus law enforcement agencies and facilitates co-operation between the two parts of the island".[53] and revealed that the co-operation between the United Kingdom police and law agencies inNorthern Cyprus is legal.
Turkish Cypriot governmental officials declared that Northern Cyprus must be ready toBrexit since EU acquis will not be binding on the UK thereby the UK and Northern Cyprus can trade just as pre-1994 ECtHR ruling.
The United States abstained in a vote in 1984 in the UN Security Council condemning "secessionist activities" on Cyprus.[54] A Northern Cyprus Representative Office is located inWashington, D.C. The Representative Office in New York City is thede factomission of the TRNC to theUnited Nations Organisation (as well as ade facto Consulate-General).
On 9 October 2014, the Federal Court of theUnited States (USA) stated that "theTRNC purportedly operates as a democratic republic with a president, prime minister, legislature and judiciary...The TRNC is NOT vulnerable to a lawsuit in Washington.".[55][56][57]
Greek Cypriot Toumazou applied to the USA Court of Appeals. The USA Court of Appeals rejected Toumazou, too on 15.01.2016.[58]
After the US Federal Court called and qualified TRNC as "Democratic Republic" and the USA Court of Appeals affirmed the decision, The United States Sectetary of State has started to describe the TRNC asthe Area Administered by Turkish Cypriots.[59]
On 28 September 2021, Minister of Foreign Affairs ofNorthern Cyprus,Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu had meetings with members of the House of Representatives of the US Congress, CongressmanPeter Sessions and CongressmanSteve Chabot, respectively.[60]
On 3 August 2023, US Congressman and former chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee,Pete Sessions, visitedNorthern Cyprus. Sessions met with PresidentErsin Tatar; he visited theTurkish Cypriot parliament building where he was met by Parliamentary SpeakerZorlu Töre, and theTurkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce.[61][62][63][64]
In 1979,Northern Cyprus became an observer member of theOrganisation of Islamic Cooperation under the title "Turkish Cypriot State".[65] In 2017,Northern Cyprus was represented with its official name "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" for the first time at an OIC conference in Saudi Arabia.[66][67]
In 1994, theTurkish Republic of Northern Cyprus became an observer member of theInternational Organization of Turkic Culture (Türksoy).[68]
In 2004, theTurkish Cypriot community was awarded "observer status" in theParliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), as part of the Cypriot delegation. Since then, the two Turkish Cypriot representatives of PACE are elected in the Assembly ofNorthern Cyprus.[69][70]
On 16 October 2012,Northern Cyprus became an observer member of theEconomic Cooperation Organization under the title "Turkish Cypriot State".[71] In 2017,Northern Cyprus was represented with its official name "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" for the first time at an ECO conference inPakistan.[72][73]
In 2013,North Cyprus Red Crescent Society became an observer member of theInternational Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.[74]
In 2022,Northern Cyprus became an observer member of theOrganization of Turkic States (OTS) with its official name "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus".[75] The TRNC President,Ersin Tatar, participated at theAnkara Extraordinary Summit of the Organization on 17 March 2023.[76] He also received the Secretary General of the OTS on 22 September 2023 at New York, during the 78thUNGA.[77]
In April 2023,Northern Cyprus became an observer member of theParliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA) with its official name "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus".[78]
In 2023, the TRNC also participated to the 146thInter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) summit inBahrain.[79]
So far, besides Turkey, only Bangladesh has reportedly recognized the newly declared state, but in Dacca officials denied the report.
It was believed at the time that Bangladesh and Pakistan were also ready to recognize this State, but were persuaded by the US Government to withhold recognition, otherwise US aid to these countries would be cut off.
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