UPDATE - Türkiye welcomes Northern Cyprus' admission to TURKPA as observer

ADDS TURKISH VICE PRESIDENT'S REMARKS

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - Türkiye on Saturday welcomed the admission of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA) as an observer.

"We congratulate the TURKPA member states for this historic decision that will contribute to strengthening the relations of the Turkish Cypriots, who are an integral part of the Turkic world, with the Turkic States.

"We hope that the decision will be beneficial for the TRNC and the Turkic world," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The assembly of the TRNC was accepted as an observer member of the TURKPA at its 12th plenary session hosted by the Turkish parliament on Friday.

Türkiye's Vice President Fuat Oktay said Türkiye is proud that the TRNC assembly unanimously obtained observer status.

"The TRNC is an integral part of the Turkic world with its past and future. May this beautiful development be beneficial to the Turkic world and our Turkish Cypriot brothers and sisters," Oktay said on Twitter.

The TRNC also gained observer status in the Organization of Turkic States last year.