Two-State - Freedom and Fairness for Northern Cyprus

Lord Balfe Condemns TRNC Isolation as “Outrageous” in UK Parliament

30 May, 2025

MyKibris reports on Lord Balfe’s latest remarks in the UK Parliament, where he described the ongoing embargoes and international isolation of the TRNC as “outrageous” and hypocritical.

Speaking at an event honouring Turkish Cypriot poet Osman Türkay, he highlighted the inconsistency of allowing direct flights to Taiwan but not to Ercan.

His statement is part of a growing wave of British parliamentary voices calling for an end to the unfair treatment of Turkish Cypriots.

The event also reflects increasing momentum in UK–Northern Cyprus engagement, which has gained significant ground under President Ersin Tatar’s leadership.

South Cyprus Rejects Water from Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as Drought Crisis Deepens

30 May, 2025

SME Bulletin, Noel Alberts

As the Greek Cypriot Administration faces a growing water crisis, authorities in the South have rejected an offer from the TRNC to supply clean water from Türkiye via the existing Geçitköy pipeline.

Instead, desalination units have been brought in from the UAE, despite the TRNC’s offer being more cost-effective and immediately operational.

Turkish Cypriot officials have criticised the refusal as politically motivated, noting that cooperation could have eased pressure on millions of residents and tourists.

The episode reflects ongoing resistance to practical collaboration between the two sides of the island.

TRNC–UK Engagement Reaches New Heights Under President Tatar

28 May, 2025

Türk Ajansı Kıbrıs

Türk Ajansı Kıbrıs (TAK) has reported on the growing momentum behind UK–TRNC relations, noting that 15 Members of the UK Parliament have visited the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus since President Ersin Tatar’s election.

These parliamentarians – from the Conservative Party, Labour Party, and Democratic Unionist Party – held high-level meetings and visited key historical sites, including Maraş and the Murataga-Sandallar-Atlilar Memorial.

The visits reflect President Tatar’s strategic push for broader international engagement, with a clear emphasis on securing a two-state solution grounded in sovereign equality.

The growing interest from across the UK political spectrum marks a notable shift in the level of attention and engagement with the TRNC.

Former UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw: Two-State Solution is the Only Way Forward for Cyprus

19 March, 2025

Jack Straw, The Independent

Former UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has reiterated his support for a two-state solution in Cyprus, stating that the decades-long federal negotiations have failed due to Greek Cypriot intransigence.

In The Independent, he highlights the missed opportunities for peace, the need for a new approach, and why the UK must reassess its policy.

With the UN talks in Geneva having ended, his intervention adds weight to the argument for recognising Turkish Cypriot sovereignty.

UN Cyprus Talks Will Lead Nowhere Without UK Policy Shift, Minister Warned

7 March, 2025

MSN

MSN reports that ahead of the UN Cyprus talks scheduled for March 17-18, the UK is being urged to reconsider its stance on the long-standing dispute. Concerns have been raised that without a shift in policy from Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government, the talks will achieve little progress.

TRNC Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu has made clear that Turkish Cypriots reject returning to failed federal negotiations and that only a two-state solution can provide lasting stability.

TRNC Foreign Minister Calls for a Fresh Approach Ahead of Geneva Talks

7 March, 2025

Daily Sabah

Daily Sabah has reported on TRNC Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu’s warning that the upcoming Geneva talks will not lead to any progress. Citing decades of failed negotiations, he made clear that Turkish Cypriots will not return to talks that continue to deny their sovereignty.

The report references his previous remarks to Reuters, where he reiterated that a federal solution is no longer an option, and only a two-state model can deliver lasting stability.

UK Minister Visits Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Ahead of UN Talks

7 March, 2025

Sam Blewett, POLITICO

POLITICO reports that UK Foreign Office Minister Stephen Doughty is visiting Northern Cyprus for a meeting with President Ersin Tatar.

The visit comes ahead of UN discussions on March 17-18 regarding the future of the island.

The meeting signals ongoing UK engagement with both sides of the Cyprus issue as diplomatic efforts continue.

TRNC Foreign Minister: UN Talks Unlikely to Yield Progress

6 March, 2025

Catarina Demony, Reuters

Reuters reports that TRNC Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu has dismissed the likelihood of progress at the upcoming UN discussions on Cyprus, set for March 17-18.

Speaking ahead of the talks, he pointed to the decades-long failure of federal negotiations and reaffirmed that Turkish Cypriots will not accept anything less than recognition of their sovereign equality.

With no clear common ground, Ertuğruloğlu stressed that the UN must rethink its approach.

TRNC Foreign Minister Urges UK to Rethink Cyprus Policy Ahead of Geneva Talks

6 March, 2025

David Maddox, The Independent

Speaking to The Independent, TRNC Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu addressed the upcoming UN-led informal talks in Geneva, warning that negotiations will fail unless they reflect the realities on the ground.

He stressed that decades of failed federal talks prove that a new approach is needed – one that acknowledges the existence of two separate states on the island.

Ertuğruloğlu also criticised the international community’s continued recognition of the Greek Cypriot administration as the sole authority of Cyprus, despite its rejection of past peace efforts.

WATCH: Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu on LBC

4 March, 2025

Iain Dale, LBC

TRNC Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu appeared on LBC with Iain Dale to discuss the latest developments in the Cyprus issue, including the upcoming informal talks in Geneva.

He emphasised the need to move beyond outdated negotiation frameworks and recognise the reality of two states on the island.

The Foreign Minister also addressed the need to redefine the Cyprus problem, the continued isolation of Turkish Cypriots, and Türkiye’s role in supporting Northern Cyprus.

Tag: Two-State