Friday 15th November marks the establishment to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in 1983.
Following a coup of the democratic government in Cyprus, staged by the Greek military junta in 1974, and a Turkish Peacekeeping Mission in the same year to end the persecution of Turkish Cypriots, a Turkish Cypriot Federated Republic was created on 13th February, 1975 in order to avoid an illegal annexation with Greece. However, because the Greek Cypriots wanted a single state with Turkish Cypriots living under majority Greek Cypriot rule and because Turkish Cypriot efforts to establish their own federation failed over the next nine year, the North declared itself independent on 15th November, 1983, claiming full sovereignty and the right to self-determination.
The TRNC is only recognised internationally by Turkey and also receives support from Azerbaijan, but its ‘de facto’ independence has not yet been formally recognized by any other country. Nevertheless, as a separate independent state, it meets the requirements for statehood under international law.
Article 1 of the Montevideo Convention states that for an entity to be a state under international law it must possess: a permanent population; a defined territory; a government; and the capacity to enter into relations with other states. Presently, North Cyprus meets all of these criteria. There is a permanent Turkish Cypriot population that makes up the majority of the population in Northern Cyprus, with an effective united government ruling over its territory and furthermore, the TRNC has the ability to enter into relations with other states, if only the international community was receptive to them.
In order to celebrate this Republic day, the Turkish Airforce will be performing a dazzling aerial display over Kyrenia harbour, expected from ‘Solo Turk’ on Friday.
