TRNC Foreign Minister Ertuğruloğlu speaks at Stratcom Summit’24

Speaking at the fourth International Strategic Communication Summit (Stratcom Summit’24) organised by Turkish Presidency’s Directorate of Communications under the theme “AI in Communication: Trends, Traps and Transition,” Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), said, “The international community is, in fact, the architect of the Cyprus problem, and their characterisation of it is fundamentally flawed.”

Ertuğruloğlu assessed the TRNC’s strategic outlook in communication concerning the “challenges posed by misinformation campaigns” related to the Cyprus problem.

Noting that all countries present at the summit, with the exception of Türkiye, acknowledged the Republic of Cyprus as a state primarily consisting of Greek Cypriots, Ertuğruloğlu stated, “The Republic of Cyprus was established in 1960 by the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot peoples on the basis of political equality. Three years later, the Greeks, through military action, removed the Turks from all governmental and state structures, leading to the establishment of the Greek Republic of Cyprus.”

Drawing attention to the fact that international parties such as the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) misrepresented the Cyprus problem to the rest of the world, Ertuğruloğlu said, “The international community is, in fact, the architect of the Cyprus problem, and their characterisation of it is fundamentally flawed.”

Ertuğruloğlu expressed concern that the international platform has not taken measures to support the Turkish Cypriot people in articulating their position and, rather, has hindered their ability to convey the realities of the island.

Ertuğruloğlu expressed that efforts are being made to address and clarify the misconceptions that have emerged globally, stemming from the various embargoes and restrictions currently imposed on the TRNC, as well as the dissemination of misleading information by the propaganda machine.

Minister Ertuğruloğlu continued:

“The Turkish Cypriots’ voices are not heard. No one is interested in hearing the Turkish Cypriot perspective on the matter. There is a general reluctance to listen, as five nations in the UN have fostered an environment of misinformation. These nations likewise possess a sphere of influence in the global arena. While there are valid grounds for criticism of the Greek Cypriots due to their unfair treatment from the outset, it is the international community, particularly the UN Security Council (UNSC) and the EU, that truly deserves scrutiny and condemnation for permitting the Greek Cypriots to evade accountability for their actions. These actors provide the Greek Cypriots with the opportunity to impose an embargo on us.”

Ertuğruloğlu underscored the intention of himself and TRNC officials to utilise artificial intelligence tools effectively, noting that “we are also interested in strategic communication and digital diplomacy.”

Minister Ertuğruloğlu emphasised that despite the extensive communication efforts and strategies employed by the TRNC, the international community remains unable to rectify its errors and stated, “The crucial aspect here is that no matter how adeptly we implement these new tools, the outcome hinges on the political will of the international community to confront the realities of the island of Cyprus and to hold the Greek Cypriots accountable for their actions. The island of Cyprus serves as a common home for both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots. The Turkish Cypriot community has never been an ethnic separatist minority within Hellenic Cyprus. The island of Cyprus has historically not been characterised as a Hellenic island. The island of Cyprus, in fact, was a component of the Ottoman Empire for more than three centuries.”