Turkish Cyprus slams US-Greek Cypriot talks, reaffirms rights in Mediterranean

US President Joe Biden (R) holds a bilateral meeting with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Oct. 30, 2024.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has strongly criticized a recent meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides, warning that the rights of Türkiye and Turkish Cypriots in the Eastern Mediterranean cannot be ignored.

TRNC Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu expressed concern on Thursday about the U.S.'s continued support for the Greek Cypriot administration, cautioning that it could upset the region's delicate balance.

"No power will be able to ignore the presence and rights of Motherland Türkiye and the Turkish Cypriot people in the Eastern Mediterranean region," Ertuğruloğlu stated.

The TRNC's stance comes in response to Biden's meeting with Christodoulides at the White House on Wednesday, where the U.S. president reiterated support for a bicommunal federation in Cyprus.

The minister called on the international community to recognize the realities in Cyprus and cease treating the Greek Cypriot administration as the island's sole legitimate representative. He asserted that the future of Cyprus lies in developing beneficial neighborly relations between two separate states, dismissing the idea of a federation as "merely an illusion."

Ertuğruloğlu accused the U.S. of pressuring Turkish Cypriots by offering additional support to Greek Cypriots if they refuse to re-engage in federation-based talks. He criticized what he termed U.S. "encouragement" of Greek Cypriot behavior, which he claims has led them to view themselves as a regional player in the Mediterranean.

"The Greek Cypriot side,...