Organization of Turkic States grants Northern Cyprus observer status
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In yet another escalatory step in the region, Turkey adds Northern Cyprus to the Organization of Turkic States, further recognizing the self-proclaimed state.
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Organization of Turkic States (Anadolu Agency)
The Organization of Turkic States (OTS) inaugurated Northern Cyprus as a non-member observer state, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday.
Regarding Ankara's efforts to get international recognition for "the Turkish community in Northern Cyprus," Cavusoglu stated on Twitter that everything was progressing "step by step."
He also reiterated that Ankara stood by Northern Cyprus.
Self-proclaimed Northern Cyprus and Cyprus have highly tense relations due to the secessionist being backed by Turkey, which also has high tensions with Cyprus.
On the same day, Northern Cypriot President Ersin Tatar described the country becoming an observer member as a "positive development."
In a written statement, Tatar thanked Turkish diplomacy for paving the way for this development and said that Northern Cyprus would continue its "struggle".
"During these days as we are to celebrate the 39th anniversary of our republic, we will continue our honorable struggle by taking strength from this positive development that carries our status further," he said.
The Northern Cypriot government handed last month the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) an ultimatum about the breakaway state's status: either recognize Northern Cyprus or leave within a month, Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported.
Northern Cypriot Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertugruloglu underlined that if the UNFICYP does not reach an agreement with North Nicosia, the forces will be asked to abandon their stations in the north.
The UN forces play the role of a buffer between self-proclaimed Northern Cyprus and Cyprus.
During a visit to Northern Cyprus last year, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan renewed his support for a two-state solution.
The Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs of the United States, Victoria Nuland, asserted a day later the United States' rejection of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's proposal for two states in Cyprus.
German Minister of Defense Christine Lambrecht landed in Cyprus on Sunday to meet her counterpart Cypriot Defense Minister Charalambos Petrides.
The brief about the Defense Minister's meeting said that Petrides informed Lambrecht about Turkey's new regional policies and illegal activities in addition to the instrumentalization of migration.
Meanwhile, Turkey deployed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in Northern Cyprus, which is not excluding the possibility of deploying new supplies to the self-proclaimed part of the island nation, Erdogan said in Prague in early October.
Sending drones to the island was Turkey's first reaction to the US decision to lift the embargo on arms exports to the Greek-majority Cyprus Republic, Erdogan noted.
