Turkey has decided to establish a modern naval base in North Cyprus in order to protect its rights and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean and to guarantee the sovereign rights of the TRNC.
The Turkish Naval Forces Commander has personally taken part in the work on the location of the base, the technical work. The estimated cost of the base, the infrastructure requirements and the physical conditions, have been completed and sent to Ankara.
According to Turkish daily ‘Aydenlik’, the Turkish Naval Command submitted a proposal to Turkey’s Foreign Minister for the establishment of a sovereign naval base in North Cyprus last August. The new naval base would be built on an area of approximately 280 thousand acres. The base would be able to host all kind of ships as frigates, corvettes, submarines and helicopters.
The Commander of the Turkish naval forces Admiral Adnan Ozbal scouted the area in person, during his visit in the TRNC on 15 November. The location of the new base will be Yeni Iskele.
Moreover, the paper reported that Admiral Ozbal raised this issue during his meeting with President Mustafa Akinci and brought it into the agenda. A mutual understanding had been reached on this issue and an agreement between Turkey and the TRNC will be signed within 2019.
Commenting on the newspaper report, Turkish Rear Admiral (Retired) Ilker Guven said:
“A Turkish naval base is being established in the TRNC. Commander of the Turkish naval forces Admiral Adnan Ozbal scouted [the region] in person on 15 November. An agreement with the TRNC will be made. In addition, an air base will also be established.
“In my opinion, it is late; however this decision taken by Turkey and the TRNC together is completely right as a geopolitical necessity”.
Aydenlik.com.tr, Volkan
