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Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Tufan Erhurman warned at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on Saturday that any alliance between the Greek Cypriot Administration (GCA) and Israel made without Turkish Cypriot consent would violate Turkish Cypriot sovereignty.
"If an alliance with a state that kills children is concluded by violating the will and sovereignty of the Turkish Cypriot people, I will explain this to every part of the international community," he said.
He also accused the Greek Cypriot administration of granting Israel privileged use of Paphos Air Base and of pursuing a military balance against Türkiye.
Erhurman was unambiguous in his opposition to Greek Cypriot military cooperation with Israel.
"If an alliance with a state that kills children is to be concluded, and moreover, if that alliance puts at risk the security and will of the Turkish Cypriot people, my people will not accept such an agreement being signed without the will of the Turkish Cypriot people. I am talking about Israel," the TRNC president stated.
"If an alliance with a state that kills children is concluded by violating the will and sovereignty of the Turkish Cypriot people, I will explain this to every part of the international community," he said.
He added that French President Macron had visited the Andreas Papandreou Air Base in Paphos during his Greek Cyprus visit, which he described as the airport granted to Israel for privileged use.
The Turkish Cypriot president grounded his objections in a constitutional and historical argument.
"The Turkish Cypriot people, as one of the two equal founding partners of this island, have the same sovereignty rights as the Greek Cypriot people. Nobody can erase Turkish Cypriots from this island. This is a legal status that no one can change," he said.
He said the Greek Cypriot administration had "no right to sign agreements or enter international alliances in the fields of hydrocarbons, energy, maritime jurisdictions, and security without the will of Turkish Cypriots", and that this position had legal foundations.
Erhurman noted that he had sent a message to Greek Cypriot leadership even before being elected, warning against a military balance strategy.
"I understand what you are doing and what you are trying to do. You think that by arming yourself and getting large states behind you, you will establish a military balance against Türkiye. I understand that this is your effort. Let me say from the outset: this is a futile effort. It is not realistic," he noted.
"The decisions you take without my people's will put not only your people but my people at risk. My people will not accept being put at risk through decisions taken without their will," he said.
He added with a pointed remark: "We have a comfort here; Turkish F-16s have come."
Erhurman confirmed that all steps on the Cyprus issue and TRNC foreign policy were being taken in full consultation with Türkiye.
"Before I was elected, on the night of my election, and consistently since, I have said that all steps related to the Cyprus issue and TRNC foreign policy are taken in consultation with Türkiye. This will continue to increase during my term," he said.
He said he had met President Erdogan at the forum and confirmed "full coordination" on Cyprus and regional developments.
He also met Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Antalya, who reiterated Azerbaijan's "unconditional support" for the TRNC and pledged its continuation.
Erhurman thanked Azerbaijan and noted the upcoming third meeting of the Azerbaijan-Türkiye-TRNC parliamentary friendship groups in Baku.
The TRNC holds observer status in both the Organization of Turkic States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and Erhurman said these relationships would continue to develop as diplomatic alternatives to the current isolation.
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