The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Zorlu Töre attended the opening event of the 13th General Assembly of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly.
Töre who is in Türkiye for contacts also met with his Turkish counterpart Mustafa Şentop.
The two highlighted the strong bond and relations that existed between the two countries as well as their determination to protect Turkish interests on the Cyprus issue and Eastern Mediterranean.
Parliamentary Speaker Zorlu Töre who is in Türkiye upon the invitation of the Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) attended the opening event of the 13th Plenary Session of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly being held under the theme, “Promoting Multilateralism in the Changing Global Dynamics.”
Parliamentary delegations from 27 countries are attending the event.
Töre who found the opportunity to meet with parliamentary speakers and delegation members from a number of countries also took his place in the group photo taken after the event.
The TRNC parliamentary speaker also met with his Turkish counterpart Mustafa Şentop on the sidelines of the plenary.
Following a short face-to-face meeting, the delegations of the two countries held a work meeting.
According to a statement released by the TRNC parliament’s press bureau, the Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) Mustafa Şentop reiterated Türkiye’s support for a two-state solution in Cyprus.
He also said that Türkiye will continue to work towards creating a TRNC that can stand on its own feet, that is internationally recognized and which is a respectable member of the international community.
Şentop also expressed his view that negotiations in Cyprus can only begin as and when the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people is recognised.
He added that the Turkish Grand National Assembly will continue to work towards promoting the TRNC as well as efforts to achieve international recognition.
Şentop also described the observer membership granted to the TRNC by the Organisation of Turkic States as an important move, one that they will try to replicate with the Asian Parliamentary Assembly.
The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the TRNC Zorlu Töre for his part drew attention to the cooperation and solidarity that existed between their two countries.
He said that Cyprus was extremely important for Türkiye’s Blue Homeland Doctrine.
“This cause can only be carried out together with Türkiye. It is a national cause, not only concerning Turkish Cypriots but Türkiye as well,” Töre added.
The TRNC parliamentary speaker said that they welcomed the call made by the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the UN General Assembly for the recognition of the TRNC as well as the removal of the embargoes imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people.
He said that the time had come for the Turkish Cypriot people to look forward.
“A settlement can be reached in Cyprus if the Greek Cypriots accept the two-state model but it is out of the question to achieve a new partnership as long as the Greek Cypriot side insists its current stance on scrapping the system of guarantees,” Töre.