ZUBAIR QURESHI
ISLAMABAD
The European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) have failed to deliver justice to the Turkish Cypriot people by maintaining “double standards” in the decades-old Cyprus dispute, TRNC Minister of Labour and Social Security Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu said this during a media interaction here Sunday.
He urged the international community to recognise the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) as a sovereign state.
Addressing the journalists in Islamabad a day before the 9th Ministerial Conference on the Role of Women in the Development of OIC Member States, Hasipoğlu viewed the Turkish Cypriot people had been subjected to historical injustice for over five decades despite their commitment to peace and democracy.
Accompanied by TRNC Representative to Pakistan Ms Buket Kop, the minister maintained that Turkish Cypriots had endured years of violence, discrimination and political exclusion before the island’s division in 1974. He said Türkiye’s military intervention that year prevented further bloodshed following a Greek-backed coup aimed at annexing Cyprus to Greece.
Referring to the 2004 UN-sponsored Annan Plan, Hasipoğlu said Turkish Cypriots overwhelmingly voted in favour of reunification, while the Greek Cypriot side rejected the proposal. Despite that, he noted, the Republic of Cyprus was granted European Union membership.
“The EU rewarded the side that rejected reunification while continuing to isolate the Turkish Cypriot people. This is a historic injustice and a clear example of double standards,” he said.
Hasipoğlu regretted that around 400,000 people in the TRNC continued to be denied international recognition.
“Our athletes cannot compete under our own flag in the Olympic Games or FIFA competitions. This is discrimination and a denial of our identity,” he said, adding that the Cyprus issue had remained unresolved for 52 years because of the international community’s unequal approach.
The minister said he had earlier held a productive meeting with Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, describing the discussions as useful for strengthening bilateral cooperation.
He said Pakistan and the TRNC enjoyed exemplary relations and appreciated the contribution of the Pakistani community living in Northern Cyprus to its economy and development.
Referring to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Hasipoğlu welcomed Pakistan’s continued support for the Turkish Cypriot cause and expressed hope that Islamabad would formally recognise the TRNC in the future. He also called for stronger backing from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), where the TRNC currently holds observer status.
Highlighting the role of women in Northern Cyprus, the minister said women actively participate in political, economic and social life, adding that the TRNC believes in an inclusive society based on equal opportunities and representation for all citizens
