Northern Cyprus admitted to Turkic Council, deepening ties with Turkey

At a Council of Elders meeting of the Turkish States Organization in Kabul, Deputy Prime Minister Binali Yildirim announced that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has become a member of the organization. Yildirim said the accession provides the TRNC a direct platform to voice its position in international and Turkic forums and will expand contacts with Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan across business, academia and civil‑society groups, reducing its longstanding isolation. He also marked the 52nd anniversary of the July 1974 peace operation, praised President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s leadership and noted the support shown to Turkey at the recent NATO summit.