The Cyprus issue has remained stuck in conceptual traps for decades, unable to move beyond being a diplomatic headline. Concepts such as “two-zone, two-community federation,” “two sovereign states,” and “confederation” have become not the solution itself but the terminological cloak of the lack of a solution. Today, the issue is no longer “how to name
The informal five-party Cyprus conference held on March 17-18, 2025, in Geneva once again highlighted the profound differences between the sides. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced that the process would continue, with a new informal conference scheduled for July. However, despite extended discussions, no common ground was found for launching comprehensive negotiations. The conference’s most
On March 17 and 18, Geneva will host an international gathering again that promises all the grandeur of a high-stakes negotiation but none of the actual progress. The so-called “informal” Cyprus talks will bring together Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, along with the three guarantor powers—Greece, Türkiye, and the United Kingdom—under the watchful eye of
When I say hypocrisy of the European Union’s suggestion to Türkiye, I am not referring to the proposal by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to President Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara on March 12. Tusk wants Turkey to take a leading role in the Russia-Ukraine talks. But this is not just in the hands of Poland,
With Donald Trump announcing his victory in the US presidential race, Türkiye is closely watching developments in Washington. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was among the first leaders to congratulate him. Trump’s first term was marked by an unconventional foreign policy that often relied on pragmatism and unexpected maneuvers, which led to a volatile relationship
On October 30th, the European Commission published its annual report assessing the candidate countries’ progress over the last year. Türkiye is still among them. At the very beginning of the report, it is stated that Türkiye is a candidate for membership. However, Türkiye is not seen as such. Every time Commission President Ursula von der
Greek Cypriot Nikos Christodoulides’ recent meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House marks a historic turning point in (Greek) Cyprus-U.S. relations. The Biden administration’s view of the Greek-Cypriot administered Cyprus as a strategic partner, coupled with the possibility of designating it as a Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA), positions Cyprus as an essential
President Tayyip Erdogan delivered a speech on August 24th at the Aksaz Naval Base in Marmaris, vowing to further strengthen Turkey’s navy and army. The impressive TCG Anadolu, Turkey’s first amphibious assault ship, served as a backdrop. Anadolu had just returned to Aksaz after participating in a joint military exercise with the United States in
President Tayyip Erdoğan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis were in Cyprus on July 20, on the same occasion but for completely different reasons. For Erdoğan and Türkiye, July 20, 2024, marked the 50th anniversary of the “Peace Operation”, as Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit called it in 1974 to liberate the Island’s Turks from massacres.
Reading the open letter by UN Cyprus Special Representative María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar, one cannot help but savor the irony. After six months of effort, Holguín concludes that we must “think differently” to solve the Cyprus problem. Really? Did it take six months to grasp a truth that has been glaringly obvious for decades? On
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