Gülbahar hits out at proposed EU trade link to Cyprus talks

In a written statement, Gülbahar said linking the two issues would turn economic relations into a means of political pressure. He said any such move would be aimed at pushing Ankara to restart negotiations on terms favoured by the Greek Cypriot side.

“The sovereignty and security of neither Türkiye nor the Turkish Cypriot people can be the subject of a trade bargain,” he said. “The existence of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus cannot be made the price of any trade agreement.”

Gülbahar said Ankara had ruled out a federal settlement and made recognition of the TRNC as a sovereign state a condition for entering new negotiations. He described the EU’s decision to admit the Republic of Cyprus in 2004 as a “historic mistake”, saying it had treated the Greek Cypriot administration as representing the whole island.

He said the security of a sovereign TRNC was directly linked to Türkiye’s own security and urged Ankara to make clear that it would take no part in meetings on the Cyprus issue before the TRNC was recognised.

Gülbahar also called for Türkiye to step up efforts to secure recognition from friendly countries and help the TRNC build direct ties abroad. He said those efforts should include seeking participation in international organisations under the TRNC’s own name and pursuing agreements with other states.

“Simply saying ‘no’ is not enough,” he said, calling for the recognition campaign to be backed by concrete diplomatic steps.