Decision of the Turkic States on the TRNC
Statements such as ‘those who appoint ambassadors to the Republic of Cyprus can do the same for the TRNC’ are nothing more than an attempt to ignore this weakness in Turkish foreign policy.
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan, within the scope of the investment agreement they signed with the European Union, declared that they would not recognise the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and described Turkey's presence in Cyprus as ‘occupation’.
The four Turkish states pledged full compliance with the European Union's Cyprus policy in exchange for a 12 billion euro investment commitment. The aforementioned countries officially declared that they would recognise only the Government of the Republic of Cyprus (GRC) as the ‘sole legitimate authority’ of the island, reaffirming their commitment to United Nations Security Council Resolutions 541 and 550.
Let us recall these two United Nations resolutions once again.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 541 was adopted on 18 November 1983, three days after the declaration of the establishment of the TRNC. It called for the implementation of Resolutions 365 and 367, taking into account the statements of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus and the UN Secretary-General, and urged all countries not to recognise any other Cypriot state besides the Republic of Cyprus. It stated that the declaration of independence by the Turkish Cypriots establishing the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was legally invalid and should be revoked. Pakistan voted against, Jordan abstained, and the remaining 13 members voted in favour.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 550 was adopted on 11 May 1984. Based on the request of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus and the statement of the President of the Republic of Cyprus, it was stated that the mutual ‘appointment of ambassadors’ and the ‘constitutional referendum’ conducted in the ‘part of Cyprus occupied by Turkey’ constitute separatist actions aimed at dividing Cyprus. The Security Council reiterated its demand for the implementation of Resolution 541 and once again called on all countries not to recognise the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, established through separatist movements. This decision was adopted with the approval of thirteen member states, Pakistan voting against, and the United States abstaining.
Let us return to the present day.
While it was expected that the Turkish states would react strongly to this decision, officials from both states have chosen to make statements suggesting that they do not attach much importance to this development.
Statements such as, ‘Those who recognise the Republic of Cyprus can also recognise the TRNC. A state's recognition of the Republic of Cyprus does not prevent it from recognising the TRNC. Those who appoint ambassadors to the Republic of Cyprus can also do the same for the TRNC,’ are nothing more than an attempt to overlook the weakness in Turkish foreign policy.
What must not be forgotten is this:
The four Turkish states that are members of the Organisation of Turkic States, with Turkmenistan as an observer and the others as full members, may not have declared their recognition of the TRNC to date, but they have demonstrated to the entire world that they stand united with the TRNC, which participates in the same organisation as an observer. Additionally, they have not recognised the GKRY to date. However, the balance has shifted overnight in exchange for 12 billion euros. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's statement, ‘We prefer not to discuss family matters in public,’ can be interpreted as an indication of how uncomfortable the issue is for Turkey, as well as an attempt to sweep it under the rug.
In summary;
It is clear that Turkey has suffered economic losses due to the recent legal absurdities. Similarly, the losses incurred by the Turkish economy due to the refugees brought by the foreign policy mistake in Syria and the expenses incurred for them are evident. On top of that, it is also clear that investments in buildings, luxury official vehicles, aircraft, and palaces, which are merely cosmetic and have no real value, do not contribute positively to the Turkish economy. Therefore, those responsible for governing Turkey should have given the 12 billion euros to Turkish states instead of wasting such a huge amount on unnecessary things. In that case, there is a high probability that they would have recognised the TRNC, and the TRNC's unfortunate fate could have changed.
In conclusion, the intensification of operations carried out through politicised legal means, in addition to the mistakes made in economic policy, is harming Turkey and increasing foreign investors' lack of confidence in Turkey and its administration. These events demonstrate that if a country faces issues related to justice and the economy, it is inevitable that it will also face issues in foreign policy and see a decline in its effectiveness.
