Turkey’s TRNC Policy

Opinion by Cuneyt Ulsever

“Probably the best definition of the Turkish government’s Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) policy is the famous Janissaries’ ‘two steps forward, one step back.’ During last weekend’s Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly meeting in Cyprus with other columnists and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the question I heard the most was this: ‘Why did the government send ministers to the island one week before the general elections?’ I tried to tell them that probably the visit had been previously planned, but then they asked, ‘What will they discuss with a government which has only a week left in office?’