President Ersin Tatar has said that 2022 had become the year the status of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) had been upgraded.

He said that in time, the TRNC will become more recognised and visible in the international arena.

In an interview with the Anadolu Agency, President Ersin Tatar said that Türkiye had rights and legal claims over Cyprus since 1571.

Pointing out that the discovery of hydrocarbons off the coast of Cyprus and related developments in the field of energy had raised the TRNC’s political and strategic value, Tatar drew attention to the importance of Türkiye’s control over the region’s airspace, maritime areas as well as the FIR (Flight Information Region).

“Efforts to set up a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) base at Geçitkale airport and a naval base in the İskele-Gazimağusa region are continuing. We have given permission to the Turkish Armed Forces to station UAVs at Geçitkale,” he said.

The president said that the establishment of an air and naval base in the TRNC sends a strong message to the EU and the Greek Cypriot administration that Türkiye, which is one of the guarantor countries in Cyprus, is a powerful country in the region.

Tatar also pointed out that Cyprus and the TRNC were important in terms of the Blue Homeland Doctrine as well as maintaining the Turkish-Greek balance in the Eastern Mediterranean.

“The domination of UAVs and Armed UAVs over the TRNC’s airspace gives us strength,” he said, adding that they were following closely the Greek Cypriot side’s ongoing armament campaign.

Tatar warned that the Greek Cypriot administration has been pouring millions in purchasing weapons over the years, a move, he added which serves to destabilise the region.

“The Greek Cypriots have spent €500m over the past three years. This may be a large sum for Turkish Cypriots but compared to Türkiye’s military strength and capabilities such attempts are futile,” he said.

Regarding the international status of the TRNC, President Ersin Tatar pointed out that 2022 had been a promising year for the country.

He added that the recent admission of the TRNC as an observer member by the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) was important. Tatar said that the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) countries, OTS countries and African countries sympathised with the TRNC.

“It’s difficult to say at this time which country would be ready to recognize the TRNC but all of a sudden we see the Gambian Vice President coming and visiting us. We believe that such relations will develop with the support of Türkiye’s support. In time the TRNC will become more recognised and visible in the international arena,” he said.