Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other top officials mark the 51st anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation, with Erdogan visiting the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to inaugurate development projects and reaffirm Ankara's unwavering support for the rights and sovereignty of Turkish Cypriots.
“I wholeheartedly congratulate the Turkish Cypriots on the July 20 Peace and Freedom Day,” Erdogan said in a social media post on Sunday. ,
“On the 51st anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation, I commemorate with mercy our martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the Turkish Cypriot people's struggle for existence and extend my gratitude to our heroic veterans.”
Foreign Ministry: Turkish Cypriots live in security and peace
In a statement, Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry underscored the legitimacy of the 1974 operation and reaffirmed Ankara’s commitment to the TRNC’s future.
“Türkiye, in accordance with its rights and obligations arising from international agreements, guaranteed the existence and security of the Turkish Cypriots 51 years ago today,” the ministry said. “Today, Turkish Cypriots live in security and peace under the umbrella of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, standing strong under the shadow of their own flag.”
“As the Motherland and Guarantor, Türkiye will always continue to defend the rights and interests of the TRNC and work with all its might for the reaffirmation of the inherent rights of the Turkish Cypriots—equal sovereignty and equal international status—as the equal co-owners of the Island,” the statement added.
Communications director: The 1974 intervention “a historic turning point”
Presidency’s Head of Communications Burhanettin Duran echoed the sentiment, calling the 1974 intervention “a historic turning point.”
“The Cyprus Peace Operation went down in history as a legitimate intervention against the impositions that ignored the Turkish Cypriot people's demands for equality, freedom, and security,” he said. “Today, the Cyprus cause is not merely a matter of the past; it is also the name of a vision for the future.”
Duran emphasized that Türkiye would never relinquish its determination to ensure the political equality and sovereignty of the TRNC. “As our President Erdoğan stated: ‘We may have different names, but when it comes to the Cyprus cause, our surname is the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.’”
The 1974 intervention by Türkiye
The commemoration comes amid persistent tensions over the island, which has been divided since 1974, when Türkiye launched a military intervention in response to a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at Greece’s annexation of the island. The operation, carried out under Türkiye’s guarantor rights stemming from international treaties, led to the establishment of the TRNC in 1983.
While the Turkish Cypriot side has long supported a solution based on sovereign equality, peace efforts—most recently at the 2017 Crans-Montana talks in Switzerland—have failed to yield a comprehensive settlement.
The Greek Cypriot administration, which joined the European Union in 2004, has rejected various UN-backed proposals, including the Annan Plan for reunification, which Turkish Cypriots overwhelmingly endorsed in a referendum.
