Denktaş: Cyprus Issue Ended With the Declaration of the TRNC

In a written statement, Denktaş said the Cyprus issue had been resolved when the TRNC was proclaimed and that the real challenge now was achieving international recognition for the Turkish Cypriot state.

He argued that only after such recognition could the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides enter into negotiations on the basis of mutual agreement, adding that no other path could produce a lasting solution on the island.

Denktaş said he did not believe a new expanded 5+1 meeting would produce meaningful results, claiming that two political parties were using the issue as a tool for domestic political gain ahead of the elections.

He stressed that the Turkish Cypriot side should unite around a common vision and, with Turkey's support, present new economic and trade-oriented initiatives to the UN Security Council.

Emphasising the need to strengthen practical cooperation, Denktaş said the separate referendums held during the Annan Plan process had reinforced the fact that Turkish Cypriots constitute a distinct people on the island and reiterated that they would never accept minority status.

'Current situation is unsustainable'

Denktaş argued that the Greek Cypriot side felt no need to compromise, while political divisions within the Turkish Cypriot community had prevented the emergence of a common national position.

He said it had become clear that the Greek Cypriot side would not accept a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, while the two-state vision had been undermined by what he described as the Turkish Cypriot side's failure to act with the seriousness expected of a state.

Referring to proposals submitted to the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) to change the TRNC's name, Denktaş said such initiatives damaged the perception of the TRNC as an independent state.

'A joint hospital or university in the buffer zone would be a genuine CBM'

Denktaş argued that the United Nations had failed to create incentives for the Greek Cypriot side to seek compromise with Turkish Cypriots and had instead maintained the existing framework.

He called for domestic political disputes to be set aside and for the Cyprus issue to be addressed through a supra-partisan approach.

Recalling that the opening of crossing points had been implemented unilaterally by the Turkish Cypriot side, Denktaş said genuine confidence-building measures would instead involve practical joint projects such as establishing a shared hospital or university in the UN buffer zone.

Calls for an interconnected electricity grid

Denktaş described the island-wide interconnected electricity system as the most important confidence-building measure currently available.

"Our President should now be discussing with the South the connection of the electricity network into an interconnected system serving the entire island. That is a genuine confidence-building measure—not opening new crossing points," he said.

He also said the presence of Turkish troops on the island had guaranteed peace and stability for the past half-century, arguing that the Greek Cypriot administration should devote resources to resolving common issues in Cyprus rather than expanding military cooperation with third countries.

Questions timing of local elections

Denktaş also claimed that holding local elections alongside other polls would create technical and legal complications, placing a heavy burden on both election officials and voters during the voting and counting process.

He added that if a mayor or village head whose term had not yet expired were to challenge the election timetable before the Supreme Election Council (YSK), local elections could be postponed until after January.