IKV Vice Chairman Prof. Halûk Kabaalioğlu and IKV Secretary General Assoc. Prof.  Çiğdem Nas attended the Conference on “The Cyprus Issue: Past, Present and the Vision for the Future” organised by the Near East University. Among the attendees of the conference, held on 1-3 April 2019, were the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prof. Kudret Özersay, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu, academics, soldiers and experts. Various topics, such as the dynamics in the Eastern Mediterranean, future of the TRNC, energy security and disputes in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Cyprus issue in a historical perspective and alternative solutions, Cyprus, EU and Turkey, the strategic importance of Cyprus for Turkey, as well as the future of the Cyprus issue were discussed.

In resolving the Cyprus issue, the recognition of the TRNC as a state was heavily emphasised. IKV Vice Chairman Prof. Kabaalioğlu, who moderated the session on the “Eastern Mediterranean Energy Security and Disputes”, stated that the initiatives to resolve the Cyprus issue within the UN framework had not been effective and under the current circumstances a federal solution was not possible. He continued his remarks saying that Turkey’s Cyprus Peace Operation and the foundation of the TRNC halted the violence and casualties on the island and it was the Greek Cypriot side that terminated the state structure formed in 1960. Mentioning the EU’s role in the dispute, Prof. Kabaalioğlu added that it had been a mistake to admit the Greek Cypriot side into the EU, despite its rejection of the Annan Plan, as a representative of the entire island.

IKV Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas made a presentation entitled “The Importance of the Cyprus Issue Regarding Turkey-EU Relations” on the second day of the conference. During the presentation, the Council of the European Union’s decisions regarding the Cyprus issue from 1990s till today, as well as the EU’s approach to the issue were analysed. Recalling that the 2006 Council Conclusions ruling out the opening of eight chapters and the provisional closing of all chapters are still in effect, Assoc. Prof. Nas underlined that the Cyprus question still continues to effect Turkey-EU relations. , Assoc. Prof. Nas also underlined that various processes between the EU and Turkey, such as the modernisation of the Customs Union and visa liberalisation, had links to the Cyprus issue. Assoc. Prof. Nas added that although it is not the only obstruction in Turkey-EU relations, resolving the Cyprus issue would ease both Turkey’s EU accession process, and the international relations.