The scenario of the annexation of North Cyprus to Turkey has never left the agenda of Ankara’s plans.
It is currently being examined more thoroughly and moves are being made in this direction, regardless of whether or not Recep Tayyip Erdogan will go to the end with this scenario. At a time when the structures of the TRNC have been almost completely in line with those of the Turkish state, the question is how to take the big step, which incidentally is also linked to 2023, when major events are planned for the 100 years of the Turkish state and Erdogan announced “a bigger Turkey”.
How, then, can Ankara proceed with the annexation of North Cyprus, which, incidentally,?
-Proceed with its own decision to annex the North. This will provoke most of the reactions, which – it turned out – are not taken into account by the TRNC.
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- The TRNC should request it. In other words, it should ask to be part of Turkey by decision, if necessary, of the parliament. Or pass through a referendum in the TRNC, knowing the result from the outset and be approved by the Turkish Grand National Assembly.
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To have a “closer” cooperation agreement, with a form of confederation. In other words, the Confederation of Turkey and the TRNC.
Within all these possibilities there are other parameters, which cannot be downgraded. For example, in case of implementation of the above, what will be Ankara’s role in the entire island and primarily in relation to the control of natural gas. It is clear and has been said many times by Turkey that “it will not abandon the rights of the Turkish Cypriots on the issues of natural wealth”. And it will insist on this, for the Turkish Cypriots.
The fact that the former President, Mustafa Akinci, referred to Turkish intentions to annex the TRNC has its significance, even if this was said afterwards.
Akıncı referred to this possibility in the past, before the informal Five-Day Geneva Five-day conference last April.
He had said that the two-state solution is a rhetoric that cannot be supplemented by its content and words that constitute a stopover on the road leading to the annexation of North Cyprus to Turkey. Furthermore, Erdogan, before his visit to the TRNC on July 20, to attend the festivals, also mentioned the following:
- “For us Turkey is not 780 thousand square kilometers. For us Turkey is every place. That’s why we exist in Palestine, in Cyprus, in the Eastern Mediterranean, in Iraq…”
It is obvious that the issue of annexation is on the table, although some believe that this issue will be used extortionately towards the Greek side to accept Turkish claims (e.g. for a confederation of two states), in order “to avoid the worst”.
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And in Afghanistan
Developments, however, cannot be dealt with within the narrow confines of Cyprus. It is clear that Turkey is seeking to have a role in developments in Afghanistan. To exploit the vacuum created by the departure of the Americans, to emerge in what Erdogan is fervently seeking, to make his country a major regional power, of global scope. In the geopolitical game of the region.
The presence in Afghanistan is part of the puzzle which is completed methodically and systematically. It has, for example, military bases in Qatar, as well as defense cooperation with Pakistan, Somalia and Ukraine, among others. At the same time that it has been involved in Syria, in Libya, while it has strengthened Azerbaijan in the war with Armenia.
The defense industry plays a role in the process of implementing its designs.
In the big picture, Cyprus is also in a prominent position. Not now, but over time. The developments reinforce the theory that its presence on the island is linked to its safety and the implementation of its plans in the wider region (drones, air, naval base). With this approach, it also moves on the Cyprus issue. To ensure its presence. Either by agreement or without or with the scenario of annexation.
MFA petitions before the Parliament since November 2020
South Cyprus Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Christodoulides, referred in November 2020 to the Turkish plans and especially to the issue of annexation. Speaking before the Parliamentary Committee on Finance for the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for 2021, Mr. Christodoulides had referred to the risk of the annexation of North Cyprus in Turkey. He also referred to 2023, stressing that this year will be 100 years since the establishment of the modern Turkish state and Recep Tayyip Erdogan will want to present a larger Turkey. “Unfortunately, the occupied areas of northern Syria, areas in northern Iraq are potential targets of Mr. Erdogan and this is something that should concern us and of course we are concerned,” Mr. Christodoulides said.
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The major of UNFICYP in front of the symbols of the occupation
That’s what happened. The Commander of the UNFICYP Forces, Major Ingrid Gjerde, visited the headquarters of the Turkish Cypriot security forces and was photographed in front of the flags of Turkey and the TRNC. The meeting took place on July 5. Major Ingrid Gjerde not only went to the buildings of the administration but also posed in front of the symbols of the TRNC.
South Cyprus was informed and protested against the incident. In this case, the South demanded Either UNFICYP publicly acknowledges the major’s wrongdoing (as it publicly visited the “administration”) or Nicosia should request its removal immediately. There is no third street.
