ISLAMABAD, Calling for an end to decades of diplomatic and economic isolation, the Ambassador of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to Islamabad, Buket Kop, urged the international community on Thursday to formally recognize the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people during a reception marking the 43rd founding anniversary of the TRNC.

Hosted at the Mövenpick Hotel in Islamabad, the commemorative event opened with the national anthems of Türkiye and Pakistan before Ambassador Kop addressed diplomats, dignitaries, and guests on the path toward a sustainable resolution to the Cyprus dispute.

Sovereign Equality as the Prerequisite for Cyprus Peace

In her keynote remarks, Ambassador Buket Kop reflected on the resilience of the Turkish Cypriot people in safeguarding their identity and exercising their right to self-determination through the establishment of the TRNC.

Pointing out that over five decades of negotiations for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation have failed to yield a settlement due to a lack of common ground, Kop reiterated the framework put forward by the Turkish Cypriot side during the April 2021 Geneva talks. She stressed that recognizing Turkish Cypriots’ sovereign equality and equal international status is an essential prerequisite for any meaningful dialogue.

Tracing the roots of the deadlock back to 1963—when the power-sharing partnership established under the 1960 constitutional order collapsed—she maintained that the Cyprus dispute remains fundamentally an issue of political equality and international standing.

Challenging Unequal Treatment and International Isolation

Ambassador Kop criticized the international community’s asymmetric approach toward the divided island, noting that while the Greek Cypriot administration is treated as the sole representative of Cyprus, Turkish Cypriots are reduced to the status of a mere "community."

According to the envoy, this diplomatic imbalance has entrenched a political comfort zone for the Greek Cypriot side, removing incentives for compromise while subjecting Turkish Cypriots to sweeping restrictions across multiple spheres:

• Global Connectivity and Commerce: Ongoing barriers affecting direct international travel and foreign trade.

• Cultural and Sporting Exclusion: Restrictions barring Turkish Cypriot athletes and artists from international arenas.

• Diplomatic Marginalization: Exclusion from formal representation on global platforms.

Echoing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s repeated appeals for the international recognition of the TRNC, Ambassador Kop framed lifting these embargoes as both a political necessity and a moral obligation.

Celebrating Enduring Solidarity Between Pakistan and the TRNC

Turning to bilateral ties, Ambassador Buket Kop expressed deep gratitude for Pakistan’s consistent solidarity with the Turkish Cypriot cause, describing the historic brotherhood between Pakistan and the TRNC as a vital source of strength. She voiced optimism for expanding political, economic, and diplomatic cooperation between Islamabad and Lefkoşa in the years ahead.

Concluding her address at the 43rd founding anniversary of the TRNC, Kop underscored that genuine diplomatic progress depends on rectifying long-standing inequities: "Meaningful negotiations can only begin once the inequality between the two sides is rectified. Only then can we truly move forward."