Ersin Tatar: 'President Ilham Aliyev has always supported us'

"I thank President Ilham Aliyev, he has always supported us and provided assistance," President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Ersin Tatar said in an exclusive statement to Report after an informal meeting in an expanded format on the Cyprus issue, held in New York with the mediation of Türkiye and the UN.

Tatar noted that relations between Azerbaijan and the TRNC have reached a new stage in recent years. The president emphasized that the acceptance of the TRNC into the Organization of Turkic States as an observer was one of the most important steps in this rapprochement: "Turkish Cypriots have many problems, it's not a simple issue. We are struggling with various embargoes, isolation, and political pressure. But Azerbaijan supports us as a brotherly state. In Northern Cyprus, we say: 'One nation, three states': Cyprus, Türkiye, and Azerbaijan. We always feel this brotherhood.

"Over the past few years, I have visited Azerbaijan several times. President Ilham Aliyev received me at a high level, with an official protocol. We had very productive meetings at the presidential level. Now the Azerbaijani people also know the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus better. We also always follow Azerbaijan with great love."

Tatar added that in the upcoming period, cooperation between Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and the TRNC in the economic sphere will expand, creating new hopes and opportunities, especially for the younger generation.

The president also spoke about his visit to the liberated territories of Azerbaijan and about the international event in which he participated there: "I visited Karabakh and saw that large-scale restoration work is being carried out there. Speaking at the meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organization, I said that Azerbaijan is Karabakh, Karabakh is Azerbaijan. After my words, President Ilham Aliyev, looking at me, put his hand to his chest, thus confirming that I was right. The restoration of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity after the 44-day Patriotic War is a historic victory. You suffered many losses; you, like us, experienced heavy casualties. I respectfully remember all our martyrs. Through you, I greet the heroic people of Azerbaijan and once again congratulate President Ilham Aliyev, the creator of this victory."