President of TRNC Returns from Summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Azerbaijan

President Ersin Tatar of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has returned from the summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Azerbaijan. According to the Northern Cyprus leader, "a bridge has been established between the Turkic world and the Mediterranean."

At Ercan Airport, President Tatar was welcomed by Speaker of Parliament Zorlu Töre and other officials. Upon arrival, he held a press conference.

Ersin Tatar thanked the forum organizers for their hospitality and emphasized that the TRNC is eager to participate in all activities of the TDT and develop relations with the member countries.

Highlighting the support from the Vice President of Turkey, Cevdet Yılmaz, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hakan Fidan, President Tatar stressed that Turkey fully supports the policy of two states.

Ersin Tatar also thanked Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and the Secretary General of the TDT, noting that this was the TRNC’s first high-level summit outside Turkey.

Reflecting on his meetings in Shusha, the Northern Cyprus leader stated that "a bridge has been established" between the Turkic world and the Mediterranean, as the TRNC "is a strategic national state with its own maritime and airspace."

The informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States was held last weekend in the Azerbaijani city of Shusha.

There were reports that during the forum, the inclusion of the TRNC in the TDT and its recognition by other Turkic states might be announced. However, no official statements on this matter have been made yet.