LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said the Greek Cypriot Administration's allowing third countries to use military bases on the island has put everyone in Cyprus at risk amid rising regional tensions.

The island’s use for operations targeting the Middle East poses risks for all countries in the region, Yilmaz said at a joint press conference with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Unal Ustel at Ercan International Airport.

“The Greek Cypriot administration acting as if it owns the entire island, making decisions that exceed its authority while disregarding the will and sovereign equality of the Turkish Cypriot people, and its approach of seeking a role for itself amid great power rivalries, particularly its recent military engagements and base policies, have increased security risks concerning the island,” Yilmaz said.

The Greek Cypriot administration had similar attitudes during the genocide in Gaza and had embarked on an excessive militarization effort with Israel's support, he added.

“In this context, Türkiye’s responsibility as a guarantor and its historical obligations have become even more evident,” Yilmaz said.

“As the guarantor and motherland, our military presence on the island for more than half a century has contributed to the development of the entire island in security and stability and has served as its guarantee,” he stressed, adding that Türkiye’s military presence on the island for over half a century has helped ensure security and stability, creating a safer environment for both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots.

‘Undermines welfare and peace on the island’

Yilmaz noted that development and prosperity cannot be achieved without security, saying the island’s progress over the past 50 years was made possible by the environment of security and stability that emerged after the 1974 Peace Operation.However, he said recent developments and steps taken by the Greek Cypriot administration have “damaged the island’s security environment and weakened the welfare and peace of people living there.”

“Unfortunately, it is delivering a major blow to the island’s status as an island of security,” he said.

Yilmaz added that a solution cannot be reached with a mindset that does not regard Turkish Cypriots as equal partners on the island and refuses to give them a say in Cyprus' future.

He stressed that the Cyprus issue cannot be resolved unless the Turkish Cypriots’ inherent rights, sovereign equality, and equal international status are recognized and the isolation imposed on them is lifted.

Economic and Financial Cooperation Agreement

Yilmaz also said the new Economic and Financial Cooperation Agreement between Türkiye and the TRNC is planned to be finalized this month.

“We have been working on it for a long time through mutual negotiations and studies. Hopefully, we will complete it this month,” he said.

“With transfers from last year, we estimate shaping this financial cooperation with a figure close to 25 billion Turkish liras. We plan to sign the mutual protocols and implement the new program within this month,” he added.