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Turkey to UN: Parallel Between Cyprus and Ukraine is Not Constructive

Published March 24, 2026, 20:11
Turkey to UN: Parallel Between Cyprus and Ukraine is Not Constructive

Turkey rejected the parallel drawn between the Cyprus issue and the situation in Ukraine, describing it as “unhelpful and not constructive.” This statement is included in a letter submitted to the UN Security Council, in response to the statements of the Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry, Michalis Damianou, during the UN Security Council session on Ukraine. Through the letter, Turkey argues that the Greek Cypriot side is trying to present itself as the sole representative of the island and rejects references to “foreign aggression and continued occupation.” It insists that no Security Council resolution characterizes the 1974 invasion as “aggression” or the Turkish presence as “occupation,” arguing that the crisis began in 1963 with the exclusion of Turkish Cypriots from state institutions. The Turkish Cypriot side maintains that Turkey acted legally in 1974 under the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee, following the coup. It concludes that the intervention “brought peace to the island” and reiterates that the Turkish Cypriot side is the interlocutor of the Greek Cypriot side, not Turkey.