On 17-18 November IKV Chairman Ayhan Zeytinoğlu and a delegation from Kocaeli Chamber of Industry paid a visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) for a series of high-level exchanges with key Turkish Cypriot officials. IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu was accompanied by IKV Secretary-General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas, IKV Strategy and Business Development Director M. Gökhan Kilit and IKV Junior Researcher Emre Ataç. On the first day of his visit, Chairman Zeytinoğlu had separate meetings with Vice President Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce Ozan Dağlı and Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry President Mustafa Kaymak. Ayhan Zeytinoğlu was also received by the Minister of Economy and Energy Sunat Atun

On the second day of his visit, Chairman Zeytinoğlu was received by the President of TRNC Mustafa Akıncı. The current state of the UN-sponsored Cyprus reunification talks along with possible scenarios for the future of the process were the main items on the agenda. During the meeting IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu highlighted that it was crucial for the TRNC to develop sound economic and trade relations with the rest of the world and that the Turkish business community holds significant responsibility in increasing investments in the TRNC. Finally, IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu called on the international community to take concrete steps to put an end to the unlawful and unacceptable isolation to which the Turkish Cypriots are being subjected. IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu also underscored that the non-resolution of the Cyprus question has been used against Turkey’s EU membership bid. Zeytinoğlu stated that the EU’s move to admit a divided island with the Greek Cypriot Administration as its sole representative was a huge strategic mistake which not only perpetuated the division of the island, but also inevitably made the EU party to the problem.

During the meeting President Akıncı stated that since September 2016 they were confronted with a Greek Cypriot leadership which was unwilling to compromise and far away from a realistic and credible position. Akıncı stated that a solution was rendered impossible due to the unwillingness of the Greek Cypriot leadership and the fact that the Greek Cypriot community was not prepared for a settlement based on power-sharing. Noting that the need to resolve the Cyprus question was still there, Akıncı stated that a settlement would not be possible without a transformation in the mentality of the Greek Cypriot side. Referring to the 2018 elections in the south, Akıncı indicated that the election period was crucial for the Greek Cypriots to contemplate on what they really wanted for the future. Noting that the TRNC would continue to favour a solution-oriented policy, President Akıncı argued that it would not be realistic expect any positive developments in the talks till the completion of the election period in the south and added that the situation would need to be re-evaluated based on the election results.