LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

The Turkish labor and social security minister on Friday reiterated that strengthening the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) remains a top priority for Türkiye.

Vedat Isikhan underlined Türkiye's unwavering commitment to support the rights and laws of Turkish Cypriots during his visit to the TRNC Parliament Speaker Zorlu Tore in the capital Lefkosa.

Isikhan reiterated Türkiye's support for TRNC President Ersin Tatar's vision of a two-state solution to the Cyprus problem. He stressed that Türkiye has consistently advocated the sovereign equality and international recognition of Turkish Cypriots in all international negotiations.

"We want Northern Cyprus to be recognized and to take its rightful place in the international community," Isikhan said, emphasizing the importance of Türkiye's efforts to legitimize Northern Cyprus’ status on the global stage and the role of the Organization of Turkic States in this.

Isikhan also called for an impartial evaluation of the Cyprus negotiations by the UN. He emphasized that the term of the UN envoy Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar is about to end and expressed hope for a report that truly reflects the situation on the ground.

Isikhan further stressed Türkiye's commitment to strengthening Northern Cyprus, pointing to the recently signed economic and financial cooperation pact between the two.

Tore expressed gratitude for Türkiye's continued support and emphasized the solidarity between the two nations. Tore reiterated the importance of continued joint efforts to strengthen the infrastructure and institutional framework of Northern Cyprus.

Isikhan said: "Strengthening Northern Cyprus is our primary goal. Türkiye will always stand by Northern Cyprus and share our experiences in all fields."

*Writing by Yasin Gungor in Istanbul