The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Zorlu Töre said that parliament had approved the creation of parliamentary friendship groups with five Turkic countries as part of ongoing efforts to prepare the groundwork for the country’s observer membership to the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS).

Töre said that a number of visits to the five Turkic countries will begin within this framework.

Speaking to TRT Haber, Parliamentary Speaker Zorlu Töre said that work had begun to prepare the TRNC for its observer membership to the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS).

He said that the creation of parliamentary friendship groups with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan was a step in that direction.

Töre added that delegations from the TRNC will be launching visits to these five countries in the near future as part of efforts to develop relations.

Expressing the TRNC’s joy over the initiatives launched, the TRNC parliamentary speaker said that the dreams of the Turkish Cypriot people had started to come true.

“The time has come to implement a two-state solution rather than a federal settlement,” Töre said, adding that the TRNC will continue on its way as a state.

“We have peace in Cyprus and this peace is safeguarded by Türkiye, the Turkish Armed Forces. We will never abandon Türkiye, the Turkish Armed Forces or Türkiye’s guarantees. Long live the union of Turkic states,” he added.

The TRNC parliament had unanimously approved the creation of the friendship groups on January 2.