Turkey’s Push for TRNC Recognition Challenges Greek Cypriots

The Greek Cypriot weekly Kathimerini highlighted Turkey’s diplomatic activities in a front-page report titled “The Games of Elevating the Pseudo-State… Turkey’s Moves in the EU”. The report focused on a letter Turkey sent to the European Parliament and at least three EU member states, asserting that the solution to the Cyprus issue lies in recognizing the sovereign equality of the TRNC.

The letter stated, “A fair, lasting, and sustainable resolution to the Cyprus problem can only be achieved by affirming the inherent rights of the Turkish Cypriot people, including their sovereign equality and equal international status.”

According to Kathimerini, the Greek Cypriot administration had lobbied the EU’s Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER) earlier in December to include a direct condemnation of Turkey’s actions in the EU’s conclusions on Turkey. However, the committee refrained from such an explicit stance, merely referencing UN Security Council resolutions that date back decades and fail to address Turkey’s current activities.

The situation was further complicated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s visit to Turkey, which coincided with discussions in the EU’s General Affairs Council. Von der Leyen reportedly emphasized Turkey’s strategic importance in the region, particularly in light of developments in Syria. This dynamic, coupled with the EU’s indirect handling of Turkey’s actions regarding the TRNC, weakened the Greek Cypriot administration’s position.

Turkey’s emphasis on the TRNC’s sovereign equality as a primary issue in its relations with the EU marked a significant development, the report noted. It also pointed out that the EU’s recent decisions did not directly criticize Turkey, adding to the Greek Cypriot administration’s challenges.

The report also touched on Turkey’s Customs Union upgrade discussions, which remain indirectly linked to progress in Cyprus negotiations. This linkage, while not explicitly formalized, signals the EU’s balancing act in its relations with Turkey amidst broader geopolitical considerations.