The President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Tufan Erhürman, undertook his first official foreign visit to Türkiye on 13 November 2025 at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. During the visit, a ceremony was held at Anıtkabir, where Erhürman met with President Erdoğan, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye Numan Kurtulmuş, and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The discussions addressed current developments regarding Türkiye-TRNC relations and the Cyprus issue.
Announcement of the Visit
The first official foreign visit of TRNC President Tufan Erhürman to Türkiye was announced on 10 November 2025.
Director of the Presidency of Communications Burhanettin Duran stated on his social media account: “The President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Mr Tufan Erhürman, will make his first foreign visit to our country on 13 November 2025 at the invitation of our President, Mr Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. During the visit, current developments regarding the Cyprus issue will be assessed and Türkiye-TRNC relations will be examined in all aspects.”
The announcement specified that the visit would take place at the invitation of President Erdoğan and that discussions on the Cyprus issue would form the core agenda of the meetings.
Visit to Anıtkabir
On 13 November 2025, during his first official visit to Türkiye, TRNC President Tufan Erhürman visited Anıtkabir. Accompanied by his delegation, Erhürman laid a wreath at the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, observed a moment of silence, and then proceeded to the Misak-ı Milli Tower where he signed the Anıtkabir Special Register.
Official Welcoming Ceremony
On 13 November 2025, TRNC President Tufan Erhürman was officially welcomed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the Presidential Complex in Ankara.
Erhürman’s official vehicle was met by mounted cavalry along the avenue leading to the complex and escorted to the protocol gate. President Erdoğan received Erhürman at the main entrance, after which both leaders took their positions on the ceremonial ground.
During the ceremony, the National Anthem was played with a 21-gun salute. President Erhürman greeted the ceremonial guard with the words “Merhaba asker.” The event also featured flags and military personnel representing the 16 Turkish states established throughout history.
Attending the welcoming ceremony were Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, Director of the Presidency of Communications Burhanettin Duran, Chief of the Presidential Office Hasan Doğan, Presidential Advisor for Foreign Policy and Security Akif Çağatay Kılıç, and Governor of Ankara Vasip Şahin.
Following the ceremony, Presidents Erdoğan and Erhürman introduced their respective delegations and posed for the press in front of the flags of Türkiye and the TRNC. The two leaders then proceeded to a private meeting, which marked the first phase of the diplomatic component of the visit.
Presidential Meeting and Joint Press Conference
On 13 November 2025, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and TRNC President Tufan Erhürman held a private meeting at the Presidential Complex in Ankara. The meeting lasted approximately one hour and thirty minutes.
The discussions covered bilateral relations between the two countries, current developments regarding the Cyprus issue, the two-state solution process on the island, and regional security matters.
Following the meeting, President Erdoğan held a joint press conference and extended his congratulations to TRNC President Erhürman on assuming office, stating:
“First, I congratulate the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on the upcoming 42nd anniversary of its founding and send my best wishes to my Turkish Cypriot brothers. We will continue our determined struggle for a just, lasting, and realistic solution to the Cyprus issue in close coordination with President Erhürman. We had a comprehensive and productive discussion with President Erhürman and his esteemed delegation. We assessed the potential joint steps to be taken in the coming period within the context of the current trajectory of the Cyprus issue. Our position on the Cyprus issue has always been clear.
The fundamental reason the Cyprus issue has remained unresolved to date is the Greek Cypriot side’s rejection of the sovereign equality and equal international status of Turkish Cypriots. The Greek Cypriot side neither wishes to share political power nor economic prosperity with the Turkish Cypriots on the island, and it has never accepted this. The Greek Cypriot side views any solution for Cyprus as reducing Turkish Cypriots to a minority status within a unitary state that was established by force in 1963 and which today has no legal validity. We must also remember the error of the European Union, which, despite rejecting the Annan Plan, accepted the Greek Cypriot administration as a member, thereby endorsing the initial mistakes of the United Nations Security Council regarding the Cyprus issue.”
Erdoğan stated that “the indulgence granted to the Greek Cypriot side due to past wrong decisions has led Turkish Cypriots to enduring rights violations in their own homeland,” adding, “Unfortunately, promises made to correct this have not been fulfilled. President Erhürman, given his experience during his previous tenure as Prime Minister and as a member of the negotiation team between 2008 and 2010, understands this process very well.”
Erdoğan, referring to Erhürman’s recent messages to the Greek Cypriot side, said: “I find it very appropriate that he has emphasized that no concession will be made on the sovereign equality of the Turkish Cypriots.” He continued:
“Since 2017, following the Greek Cypriot side’s withdrawal from the negotiating table, we made it clear that we will no longer continue negotiations merely for the sake of appearances among friends. We maintain this stance in full alignment with the Turkish Cypriot side. We believe the most realistic solution to the Cyprus issue is the coexistence of two states on the island. We continue to uphold our position that a solution enabling both peoples on the island to live side by side in peace, prosperity, and security is possible. We will sustain our sincere efforts in this direction. Today, we face a significantly different international context.
I have said before: ‘You cannot dry yesterday’s laundry with today’s sun.’ Trying to dig a well with a needle using the outdated dogmas of the past will not lead us anywhere. I hope that in the coming period, we will also see the same courage and willingness for a solution from the other side. To make this possible, we will continue our constructive, results-oriented, just, and humane approach alongside the Turkish Cypriot people. We also discussed measures to further accelerate cooperation between President Erhürman and myself. We reviewed the projects we have implemented to enhance the prosperity of the Turkish Cypriots, ease their daily lives, and minimize the impact of the decades-long isolation they have endured.”
Erdoğan added: “Our political and diplomatic efforts will continue in close coordination to ensure the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is properly represented in the international community and can effectively communicate its voice and the injustices it has suffered. As the motherland and guarantor, we will never abandon the Turkish Cypriot people in their just struggle, as we have not done yesterday, today, or tomorrow.”
Erdoğan thanked President Erhürman for his visit and expressed his hope that the talks would bring blessings. He congratulated the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on the 42nd anniversary of its founding and said: “I remember with gratitude all our martyrs who fell for the homeland, our brave veterans, and the leaders of the Cyprus cause, the late Dr Fazıl Küçük and the founding President, the late Rauf Denktaş. I also thank you for your condolence message on behalf of the Turkish Cypriots regarding the 20 brave soldiers from our military cargo plane that crashed in Georgia-Azerbaijan.”
In his remarks at the same press conference, TRNC President Tufan Erhürman stated: “Türkiye remains at the forefront of all efforts regarding a solution to the Cyprus issue, as it has always been.”
Erhürman said: “During my term, one of my top priorities will be to elevate the unbreakable fraternal ties between the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Republic of Türkiye to an even higher level, and to ensure that my country and my people are better known and more widely recognized in Turkish public opinion.” He emphasized that Türkiye is one of the three guarantor states with full authority and responsibility regarding the entire island of Cyprus.
Erhürman, pointing to increased militarization in southern Cyprus and the region, stated: “Türkiye, as the guarantor state providing the legal basis for the security of Turkish Cypriots, remains at the forefront of all efforts regarding a solution to the Cyprus issue—not only because of our unbreakable fraternal ties but especially given the daily escalation of militarization in southern Cyprus and the region.”
Using the phrase “The Turkish Cypriot people are one of the two equal founding partners on Cyprus,” Erhürman added: “The status of my people is not subject to negotiation, bargaining, or compromise. By virtue of this status, the Turkish Cypriot people possess sovereign rights over the entire island of Cyprus.” He stressed: “It is impossible to ignore the will of the Turkish Cypriot people on issues affecting the entire island and its inhabitants, such as energy, hydrocarbons, maritime jurisdiction, and trade routes.”
Erhürman extended condolences for the soldiers killed in the C-130 military cargo plane crash on the Georgia-Azerbaijan border.
Erhürman noted that relations between the TRNC and Türkiye are “so unique that they cannot be compared to those between any other two states,” adding: “All previous presidents of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, since their election, have made Türkiye their first official foreign destination, and have always conducted their duties concerning the Cyprus issue and foreign policy in close consultation with the Republic of Türkiye.”
Erhürman stated: “It must be understood that the Turkish Cypriot people have no enemies, yet this people, having bravely endured an extremely difficult struggle for existence, will not allow anyone to trample upon their rights. At this point, I wish to reiterate to the entire world that we will not tolerate any violation of the sovereign rights of the Turkish Cypriot people on the shared jurisdictional areas mentioned above, nor will we accept their marginalization or disregard.”
Erhürman affirmed that the Turkish Cypriot people possess a will for a solution, saying: “The Turkish Cypriot people have never walked away from the negotiating table. The world must understand that they are not negotiating for the sake of negotiation, but for the sake of a solution.”
He emphasized the need to draw lessons from past failed experiences, continuing: “The Turkish Cypriot people’s will for a solution must not be misinterpreted as an intention to sit at the table using a method that lacks guarantees, ignores time limits, reopens issues that have been repeatedly addressed, is not results-oriented, and risks reverting to the status quo if the Greek Cypriot leadership once again overturns the table at the last minute. No one should expect us to naively walk down a path that has repeatedly led nowhere, hoping this time it might lead somewhere.”
Erhürman, pointing out that “the elements listed are not preconditions imposed by me or the Turkish Cypriot people to avoid a table, but rather the components of a solution methodology developed by a people with decades of experience,” said: “Even if the conditions necessary to launch a comprehensive negotiation process have not yet matured, no one should assume that the Turkish Cypriot people will not be at the table. If there is a solution-oriented negotiating table aimed at a comprehensive solution, we will be there. If such a table has not yet been established, we will be at a discussion table focused on improving daily life for both peoples on the island, building trust, and generating cooperation and solutions in line with the win-win principle. But I want to emphasize: there is a world beyond the negotiating table, and my people, like all peoples, have the right to engage with it.”
Erhürman affirmed that the Turkish Cypriot people “have survived under the harshest conditions and will continue to exist tomorrow,” adding: “No one can ignore us or erase us. No one can prevent us from engaging with the world. Knowing that the Republic of Türkiye stands by us today, as it has always done yesterday, under all circumstances, and will remain our unwavering ally in the future through our unbreakable fraternal bonds, is our greatest guarantee. Once again, on behalf of myself and my wife, I sincerely thank President Erdoğan for his congratulatory messages following our democratic elections, his kind invitation, and today’s hospitality. I convey to him the warmest love and greetings of my people and offer my highest respect.”
Visit to the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye
On 13 November 2025, as part of his Türkiye visit, TRNC President Tufan Erhürman visited the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM).
President Erhürman was received at the Assembly entrance by Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş. The two leaders shook hands in front of the flags of Türkiye and the TRNC and posed for the press. Following the reception, they held a private meeting.
In his remarks during the meeting, Speaker Kurtulmuş emphasized the significance of Erhürman’s first official foreign visit being to Türkiye, stating: “The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has become a perfect state in every sense. One of our top priorities is to ensure the international recognition of this state’s existence and strength.”
Kurtulmuş underscored the importance of a two-state solution on Cyprus, saying: “I wish to emphasize that there is no alternative to a two-state solution on Cyprus and that it is possible to create an environment where both states can live in peace within their own national identities.”
He also referred to Türkiye’s role as a guarantor in Cyprus and, in light of recent regional developments, added: “We have once again seen how vital and critical Türkiye’s guarantor role in Cyprus is, particularly given the latest developments in the region.”
In his speech, Kurtulmuş reviewed the process since the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation, highlighting the hardships endured by the Turkish Cypriot people and recalling the Turkish Cypriot side’s enduring commitment to a solution despite the rejection of the Annan Plan. “The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has become a perfect state in every sense. One of our top priorities is to ensure the international recognition of this state’s existence and strength.”
In his address to the TBMM, President Erhürman highlighted the unique nature of relations between Türkiye and the TRNC: “The relations between the Republic of Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus are so unique that they cannot be compared to those between any other two states.”
Referring to the existential struggle of the Turkish Cypriot people, Erhürman said: “The Turkish Cypriot people have waged and continue to wage a great struggle for existence.” Regarding relations between the two parliaments, he added: “The ties between the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye and our Republican Assembly will continue to be of immense value to us in conveying our message to the world.”
Attending the visit were Orhan Erdem, Chairman of the Türkiye-TRNC Parliamentary Friendship Group and AK Party Member of Parliament for Konya, and İsmet Korukoğlu, Ambassador of the TRNC to Ankara.
Meeting with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan
On 13 November 2025, as part of his Türkiye visit, TRNC President Tufan Erhürman met with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Ankara.
The meeting was officially announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye. A statement published on the ministry’s official social media account read: “Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with President Tufan Erhürman of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in Ankara.” It was stated that the meeting aimed to continue consultations on foreign policy coordination between the two countries and on the Cyprus issue.
Post-Visit Statements
After completing his first official foreign visit to Türkiye, TRNC President Tufan Erhürman returned to Lefkoşa on 14 November 2025 and held a press conference at Ercan International Airport.
President Erhürman made the following statement regarding his Türkiye visit: “We agreed with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan that consultations must continue intensively after our meeting. Our talks in Ankara were highly productive.”
Erhürman noted that during his visit he had visited Anıtkabir, met with TBMM Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and concluded his program with a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Regarding the Cyprus issue, he emphasized the importance of the 5+1 talks, stating: “We attach great importance to the 5+1 talks, but certain outcomes must first be achieved in Lefkoşa.”
He also noted the alignment of positions between Türkiye and the Turkish Cypriot side, saying: “Of course, we share common concerns regarding any violation of the sovereign rights of Turkish Cypriots or any attempt to treat the Turkish Cypriot people as if they do not exist.”
Erhürman addressed the Turkish Cypriot people’s stance toward a solution, adding: “The Turkish Cypriot people have always been the party seeking a solution. The cost of the current stalemate must not be borne by this people.”
He also announced that he plans to meet next week with Nikos Christodoulides, President of the Greek Cypriot Administration, and subsequently with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s Special Representative for Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar.
