ANKARA 

Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz has said Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will continue to advance cooperation and finalize a new economic agreement by the end of March.

After meeting TRNC Prime Minister Unal Ustel in Ankara, Yilmaz on Thursday described the talks as productive and said work is underway on a new economic and financial cooperation framework.

“Our aim is clear. We want to carry the TRNC toward a more prosperous and stronger future,” Yılmaz said.

He stressed that ties between Türkiye and the TRNC are “not ordinary relations between two countries,” adding that Türkiye, as a guarantor state, “will continue to stand by the TRNC.”

Yilmaz said the current cooperation protocol has been implemented effectively and that both sides aim to complete negotiations on a new agreement by late March.

On the Cyprus issue, he said any solution must be based on “the realities of the island,” including “two states and two peoples” and sovereign equality.

“Türkiye and the TRNC will continue on their path in a spirit of cooperation,” he said. “No matter what traps are set in our region, the realities of the region will render them ineffective.”

Speaking after the meeting, TRNC Prime Minister Unal Ustel also addressed recent regional developments, referring to a defense protocol signed between Greece, Israel, and the Greek Cypriot administration in Southern Cyprus.

Ustel said Greece, Israel, and the Greek Cypriot government had entered what he described as an arms race following the signing of the defense agreement and accused them of showcasing new defense acquisitions in the media.

He said the Turkish Cypriots are “not alone,” stressing that the Republic of Türkiye stands by the TRNC as its motherland.

“Whatever they do, we have no doubt that when the time comes, we will respond in the same manner and with the same determination,” Ustel said, referring to the trilateral defense cooperation.

Ustel also reiterated that there are two peoples and two states on the island and said any solution must reflect this reality.

*Writing by Seyit Kurt and Merve Berker