Azerbaijan hints at recognition of northern Cyprus

A Turkish Cypriot delegation headed by deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of the breakaway “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” Serdar Denktah held contacts on Monday with the Azerbaijani Speaker of the Assembly, the Foreign Minister and the State Minister after taking a direct flight from Ercan/Tymbou airport to the Azerbaijan capital, Baku.

Denktash and Azerbaijani State Minister Naz_m Ibrahimov speaking after their meeting stated that the existing relations would be further developed.

Ercan airport is not internationally recognised and until now only flights from Turkey have flown to and from Ercan.

The Turkish Cypriot public information office reported on Wednesday that Ibrahimov said the direct flights between the TRNC and Azerbaijan would continue and if a recognition process started Azerbaijan would take the first step.

The Turkish Cypriot Republic of Northern Cyprus is recognised only by Turkey.

Meanwhile, the second economic cooperation forum between Turkish Cypriot and Azerbaijan businessmen was held in Baku.

Serdar Denktash’s father, former Turkish Cypriot hardline leader, Rauf Denktash, was also in Baki and attended a dinner given by the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.