Newsroom
The self-declared “parliament” in the Turkish-occupied area of northern Cyprus approved a resolution on Tuesday promoting a two-state solution for the island, in a move widely seen as politically timed ahead of upcoming elections. Most members of the opposition Republican Turkish Party (RTC), including leader Tufan Erhürman, boycotted the vote, leaving only two of their lawmakers present along with two independents.
The resolution, initiated by members of the governing coalition of the CTP, DP, and EU parties, passed after more than five hours of debate. It calls for ending the international isolation of the self-proclaimed "turkish republic of northern cyprus (trnc)", seeking recognition, joining the Organization of Turkic States, and asserting the so-called “sovereign equality” of Turkish Cypriots as a prerequisite for any negotiations.
Government officials framed the measure as a response to decades of unsuccessful UN-backed federation talks with the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus. CTP Secretary-General Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu said the resolution reflects a six-point plan aimed at international recognition and closer alignment with Turkey.
Opposition leader Erhürman criticized the vote as a government initiative masquerading as a parliamentary decision, warning it was reckless to advance such a contentious issue days before elections. He also reaffirmed that energy and maritime issues remain “red lines” that cannot be negotiated unilaterally with Greek Cypriots.
The extraordinary session was delayed due to a lack of quorum and concluded around 6 p.m. The self-declared “parliament” has now passed 23 resolutions concerning the Cyprus problem, none of which carry legal weight internationally.
