The Turkish Ambassador to Lefkoşa Metin Feyzioğlu has said that the recognition and development of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was the Turkish government’s top priority.

Feyzioğlu’s words came during a courtesy visit he paid to the Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources Dursun Oğuz.

Also speaking, Minister Oğuz said that Feyzioğlu had played a leading role in the Maraş initiative.

The new Turkish Ambassador to Lefkoşa Metin Feyzioğlu continued with his visits to government and state officials on Thursday by paying a visit to the Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources Dursun Oğuz.

Welcoming the Turkish ambassador, Minister Oğuz expressed his belief that the TRNC will continue to develop.

“There are several status quos in the TRNC, Maraş being one of them. You took on a leading role in breaking that status quo under the leadership of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the TRNC government,” he said.

The Minister of Agriculture also said that that cooperation with motherland Türkiye was essential for the development of the country.

“Following the pandemic, higher education and tourism have become the locomotive sectors of the TRNC economy but agriculture and production is also extremely important. We need to focus on developing agriculture and animal husbandry,” he said.

For his part, the Turkish Ambassador to Lefkoşa Metin Feyzioğlu also underlined the importance of agriculture for the country’s economy.

“There is no question as to the importance of agriculture for creating a TRNC economy that can stand on its own feet and develop,” he said.

The Turkish ambassador reminded that it was the Republic of Türkiye’s priority to help develop the TRNC economy and to raise the prosperity of the Turkish Cypriot people.

“If the Turkish Cypriot people and TRNC succeed in standing on their own feet, if it becomes a strong country with a sustainable system, then this will reflect on the negotiations process and the TRNC will have to be recognized by third countries,” he said.