TRNC President Wraps Up Antalya Diplomacy Forum

TRNC President Ersin Tatar has shared his impressions following the 4th Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Returning to the island on Sunday evening, he spoke to the press at Ercan Airport, reflecting on the outcomes of the event.

In his statement, President Tatar highlighted the significance of attending the high-profile forum, which brought together heads of state, ministers, and officials from over 60 countries to discuss global issues.

He stressed that the TRNC delegation had a valuable opportunity to present the Turkish Cypriot people’s rightful struggle on the international stage.

During the event, Tatar held key meetings with several prominent figures, including UN Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Secretary-General of the Organization of Turkic States Kubanychbek Omuraliev, and Secretary-General of the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TÜRKSOY) Sultan Raev.

He also drew attention to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s speech at the forum, where Erdoğan reaffirmed that no formal negotiations on the Cyprus issue should begin until the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people are recognized.

“We are hopeful that with the arrival of the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy, María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar, we’ll see meaningful progress on these matters,” Tatar said.

The TRNC President also voiced concerns over a rise in incidents involving the harassment and arrest of Turkish Cypriot businesspeople, as well as the ongoing isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community. He described these actions as “completely unacceptable.”

These issues were also raised in meetings with both the UN Under-Secretary-General and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Tatar concluded by expressing gratitude to President Erdoğan and Minister Fidan for their invitation to such a significant international gathering, adding that the Antalya Diplomacy Forum continues to gain global attention each year.