Pakistan may recognise Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Ankara [Turkey] July 13 (ANI): A tweet by the Pakistani embassy in Turkey on Saturday is being seen as a significant step towards Islamabad recognising the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus as a sovereign state.

The post, shared via the embassy’s official Twitter account, has fueled speculations about whether an official recognition can be expected in the future, Yeni Safak reported.

A Greek report also mentioned five countries that are said to be planning to recognize Northern Cyprus. They include Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Libya, Bangladesh and Gambia.

Yeni Safak reported that Cyprus has been mired in a decades-long struggle between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the UN to achieve a comprehensive settlement.

The island was divided in 1964 when ethnic attacks forced Turkish Cypriots to withdraw into enclaves for their safety. In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup aiming at Greece’s annexation led to Turkey’s military intervention as a guarantor power. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was founded in 1983.

Till now, only Turkey has recognised Northern Cyprus as a country. (ANI)