Türkiye commemorates 50th anniversary of Cyprus Peace Operation

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) — Türkiye on Saturday commemorated the 50th anniversary of the landmark Cyprus Peace Operation, marked as Peace and Freedom Day in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

"The atmosphere of peace and tranquility achieved on the island by the Cyprus Peace Operation has lasted for half a century," Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on X, hailing the occasion.

Fidan vowed that Türkiye will continue standing "shoulder-to-shoulder" with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and defend its rights and interests.

Also releasing a message to commemorate the operation, Turkish parliamentary speaker Numan Kurtulmus said it symbolized the freedom Turkish Cypriots achieved with their courage and patience.

"Today, recognizing the rights and equal status of the Turkish Cypriot people is the key to stability and peace in the region.

"As always, we emphasize today as well the importance of dialogue and the spirit of cooperation for the implementation of a fair agreement in Cyprus," he added.

Kurtulmus expressed Türkiye's determination to achieve a lasting solution for the recognition of the TRNC via diplomatic channels, and its commitment to principled negotiations.

For his part Türkiye's Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said the Cyprus Peace Operation "has not only been a significant military victory but has also taken its place in history as a symbol of the unity, solidarity, and determination of a nation."

The island of Cyprus has been mired in a decades-long dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, despite a series of diplomatic efforts to achieve a comprehensive settlement.

Ethnic attacks starting in the early 1960s forced Turkish Cypriots to withdraw into enclaves for their safety.

In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at Greece’s annexation of the island led to Türkiye’s military intervention as a guarantor power to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence. As a result, the TRNC was founded in 1983.

The Greek Cypriot administration was admitted to the EU in 2004, the same year Greek Cypriots thwarted a UN plan to end the longstanding dispute.