Türkiye reaffirms commitment to protecting Turkish Cypriots' rights As TRNC marks 41st founding anniversary

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has reiterated Türkiye's unwavering support for the rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot population, emphasizing its role as a guarantor state for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

In a statement posted on social media platform X to mark the 41st anniversary of the proclamation of the TRNC, the ministry expressed continued solidarity with the Turkish Cypriots, Caliber.Az reports.

Kıbrıs Türkü’nün egemenlik ve özgürlük yolunda verdiği mücadelesinin en önemli simgesi olan Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti’nin kuruluşunun 41. yıl dönümü kutlu olsun!

Anavatan ve Garantör Türkiye daima Kıbrıs Türkü’nün yanında olacak, hak ve çıkarlarını koruyacaktır. pic.twitter.com/GbLIIsT6VH

— T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlığı (@TC_Disisleri) November 15, 2024

"Happy 41st anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is the most important symbol of the Turkish Cypriot struggle for sovereignty and freedom!

Türkiye will always stand by the side of Turkish Cypriots and protect their rights and interests, being their motherland and guarantor," the post reads.

The island of Cyprus has endured a decades-long conflict between its Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities, despite numerous diplomatic initiatives aimed at resolving the issue.

The tensions date back to the early 1960s when ethnic violence compelled Turkish Cypriots to retreat into enclaves for their safety.

In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup, intended to unite the island with Greece, prompted Türkiye to intervene militarily as a guarantor power. This action aimed to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence.

This intervention eventually led to the establishment of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in 1983, which remains unrecognised by much of the international community.

In 2004, the Greek Cypriot administration joined the European Union, despite having rejected a United Nations plan designed to resolve the island's longstanding division earlier that same year.

By Vafa Guliyeva