Cypriot

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is set to start a two-day official visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on July 19. 

By Stavri Kalopsidiotou*

Turkish provocations of the Republic of Cyprus are unfortunately not over.

The recent EU summit may have noted in its conclusions that we are in a period of de-escalation in the Eastern Mediterranean, but that does not at all reflect what is going on in Cyprus.

The premier of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on May 14 that Turkish troops on the island would not withdraw and his country would not become another Gaza. 

Turkey's ruling party spokesman on April 2 condemned the Greek Cypriot administration stamp commemorating the 65th anniversary of the EOKA terror group.

"We condemn the Greek Cypriot administration for printing a stamp commemorating the 65th anniversary of the EOKA terrorist organization," said Ömer Çelik, spokesman for the AKP on Twitter.

Cyprus on March 30 hailed a European Union decision to recognize halloumi cheese as a product distinct to the divided eastern Mediterranean island after a seven-year wait.

Known as halloumi in Greek and hellim in Turkish, the famously barbecue-able cheese is the island's biggest export, earning a record 250 million euros ($290 million) last year.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres intends to meet next month with ethnically split Cyprus' rival Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders to gauge whether conditions are ripe to resume dormant peace talks, the Cypriot government spokesman said on Monday.

The president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is expected to highlight a two-state solution during a meeting with the U.N.'s special envoy to Cyprus.

According to Turkish Cypriot presidential sources, Ersin Tatar is expected to meet Jane Holl Lute on Jan. 11 at 14:00 local time.

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar said Tuesday efforts to resolve Cyprus' ethnic division should start fresh and aim to achieve a two-state deal, because decades of negotiations for a federation-based agreement have got nowhere.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hami Aksoy on June 12 criticized the U.K. for not consulting the Turkish Cypriot administration and Ankara regarding a regulation of the use of properties on British bases by their owners, which the official said means a "change of the status" in the region of the bases.

Turkish-Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci says that no progress can be made in reunification talks with the Republic of Cyprus if Turkish Cypriots in the breakaway north do not renew his mandate.