LEFKOSA 

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Tufan Erhurman said Friday that the Turkish Cypriot side will never compromise on political equality.

Speaking to Anadolu following a handover ceremony in Lefkosa, Erhurman said the Turkish Cypriot side will not negotiate what is already guaranteed in UN Security Council resolutions.

“Political equality is my vital red line. It cannot be up for negotiation,” he said. “Whenever it becomes a bargaining chip, the Greek Cypriot leadership uses it as a pretext to withdraw from the table.”

He said the Greek Cypriot leadership has repeatedly shown its unwillingness to share power throughout the history of negotiations.

He urged the UN to honor its commitments, citing Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ statement after the Crans-Montana talks that any future negotiation process must have a time frame.

Underscoring the Turkish Cypriot people’s strong democratic culture, Erhurman said differences in parliament never harm mutual respect, and “our citizens have a deep sense of democracy and tolerance.”

Reiterating his statement that “there are no losers in this election,” Erhurman said, “The Turkish Cypriot people won, our children won, our brotherhood won. I never favor language that divides society into winners and losers.”

He said his top duty as president is to represent all citizens, vowing to prevent division and promote unity in his country.

-Türkiye remains ‘guarantor of the entire island’

Touching on the growing military presence of foreign powers in the Greek Cypriot administration, Erhurman said it makes Türkiye’s guarantor role even more crucial.

He said the presence of Western powers in southern Cyprus leaves Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides in no position to challenge Türkiye’s guarantor status.

“Türkiye is the guarantor of the entire island, and this has become even more significant today. Every day, it is getting harder for us to feel secure,” he added.

Referring to regional tensions about Israel’s actions and Iran’s threats, Erhurman said Turkish Cypriots are facing security risks from decisions made without their participation.

Erhurman said any negotiation or diplomatic step on the Cyprus issue will be taken in full coordination with Türkiye.

“No president in our history has ever conducted talks without consultation with Türkiye … Our relationship with Türkiye is unique, unlike that of any two other states,” he said.

He added that one of his priorities is to strengthen ties between the TRNC and Türkiye, noting that no negotiation or foreign policy move will ever take place without consultation with Ankara.

Commenting on the proposed electricity interconnection project between Greece, Israel and the Greek Cypriot administration, Erhurman said excluding Türkiye from the route is irrational and politically motivated. “The logical connection should be Cyprus–Türkiye–Greece,” he said.

“Türkiye, the Turkish Cypriot people, and the TRNC cannot be ignored in this region. We have always existed, we exist today, and we will continue to exist tomorrow. Those who act as if we don’t exist will eventually lose,” he added.