Turkish Başkent University cuts ties with Central Asia over Northern Cyprus stance

One of Türkiye’s largest private universities, Başkent University in Ankara, has officially suspended all academic cooperation with five Central Asian nations—Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan—citing political actions that the institution views as disregarding the interests of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

The university’s decision followed what it described as a series of diplomatic gestures by these countries toward the Republic of Cyprus, which Ankara opposes in favor of the TRNC, Caliber.Az reports, citing Uzbek media.

The university’s Senate convened for an extraordinary meeting on April 10, during which recent political developments were reviewed, including the appointment of ambassadors from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan to Nicosia, and discussions held at the Samarkand summit. These actions, the Senate concluded, were in conflict with the principle of Turkic solidarity and amounted to a diplomatic snub of the TRNC.

Prof. Dr. Mehmet Balyemez, the Director of the Research Centre of the Başkent University on Cypriot Turkish History, stated that the move was perceived as a deliberate act of disregard for Northern Cyprus. The Senate expressed “deep regret” over what it labeled as a violation of fraternal unity among Turkic nations.

The university specifically criticized references made by Central Asian governments to United Nations Security Council Resolutions 541 and 550, which condemn Türkiye’s 1983 declaration of the TRNC. Başkent University rejected any equivalence between Türkiye’s support for Northern Cyprus and separatism, arguing that the TRNC's legitimacy must be understood within a different political context.

The freeze in relations will affect student exchange programs, academic collaborations, and joint research initiatives. While current students from Central Asia will not be expelled, future participation in university programs may be limited until the countries in question “reconsider their stance on Northern Cyprus,” the university said.

This move follows a declaration signed at the EU–Central Asia summit on April 4, 2025, in which regional leaders reaffirmed their support for the principles of territorial integrity and UN resolutions—implicitly rejecting the legitimacy of the TRNC.

Başkent University, established in 1994, has a student body of roughly 13,000 to 16,000, with Central Asian students traditionally making up a visible part of its international population. This marks the first time a Turkish higher education institution has taken such a step in response to the geopolitical status of Northern Cyprus.

By Vafa Guliyeva