Declaration of Independence of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus


The declaration of Independence of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was a unilateral declaration of independence from the Republic of Cyprus by the Turkish Cypriot parliament on 15 November 1983.
Eight years after the Turkish Federated State of North Cyprus was proclaimed, the declaration of North Cyprus was presented to the Turkish Cypriot parliament in North Nicosia by Turkish Cypriot Leader and Northern Cypriot State President Rauf Denktaş on November 15, 1983. Containing text espousing human rights and a desire to live side-by-side with the Greek Cypriot population, it ended with a declaration that Northern Cyprus was an independent and sovereign state, naming the entity the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The Turkish Cypriot Parliament passed a unanimous resolution later that day ratifying the declaration.

Background

The declaration

Reactions

The United Nations Security Council issued two resolutions proclaiming that the Turkish Cypriot UDI was legally invalid and requesting that no other sovereign state should recognize the declaration and asked for its withdrawal.

Recognition

UN Countries and the Others

formally recognized Northern Cyprus on the day its UDI was declared.
The parliament of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic, which is a self-governing exclave of Azerbaijan, has issued a resolution recognizing the TRNC as a sovereign nation, but this recognition is not shared by Azerbaijan's central government.

The decision of International Court of Justice on the declarations of independences

In 22 July 2010, United Nations' International Court of Justice non-legally-bindingly decided that "International law contains no prohibition on declarations of independence"; see Political status of Kosovo. The ruling was expected to bolster demands for recognition by Northern Cyprus. The decision of UN ICJ was regarded an inspirational way and another option for Turkish Cypriots.