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UN Security Council
Resolution 541
UN Security Council; Resolution 541
	Northern Cyprus
Date	18 November 1983
Meeting no.	2,500
Code	S/RES/541 (Document)
Subject	Cyprus
Voting summary	13 voted for; 1 voted against; 1 abstained;
Result	Adopted
Security Council composition
Permanent members	China; France; Soviet Union; United Kingdom; United States;
Non-permanent members	Guyana; Jordan; Malta; Netherlands; Nicaragua; Pakistan; Poland; Togo; Zaire; Zimbabwe;

Northern Cyprus declared its independence in 1983 with its official name being the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). It is recognized by Turkey.

With United Nations Security Council resolution 541, adopted on 18 November 1983, after reaffirming Resolution 365 (1974) and Resolution 367 (1975), the Council considered Northern Cyprus' decision to declare independence legally invalid.

It called upon both parties to cooperate with the Secretary-General, and urged other Member States not to recognize Northern Cyprus, while only recognizing the Republic of Cyprus as the sole authority on the island.

The resolution was adopted by 13 votes to one against (Pakistan) and one abstention from Jordan.

Relevant Court Cases

International law contains no prohibition on declarations of independence,^[1] and the recognition of a country is a political issue.^[2]

International Courts

On 22 July 2010, The International Court of Justice (ICJ) stated in its advisory opinion on Kosovo's declaration of independence in 2010 that "the Security Council in an exceptional character attached illegality to the DOI of TRNC because it was, or would have been connected with the unlawful use of force" and "general international law contains no applicable prohibition of declarations of independence".^[3]

The ICJ's ruling was expected to bolster demands for recognition by Northern Cyprus.^[4]^[5] The decision of the ICJ has also been regarded as opening more potential options for the TRNC to gain international legitimacy.^[6]

On 2 July 2013, The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) decided that "...notwithstanding the lack of international recognition of the regime in the northern area, a de facto recognition of its acts may be rendered necessary for practical purposes. Thus the adoption by the authorities of the "TRNC" of civil, administrative or criminal law measures, and their application or enforcement within that territory, may be regarded as having a legal basis in domestic law for the purposes of the Convention".^[7]

On 2 September 2015, The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) decided that "...the court system set up in the "TRNC" was to be considered to have been "established by law" with reference to the "constitutional and legal basis" on which it operated, and it has not accepted the allegation that the "TRNC" courts as a whole lacked independence and/or impartiality".^[8]

Courts of Countries

On 9 October 2014, the Federal Court of the United States (USA) stated that "the TRNC purportedly operates as a democratic republic with a president, prime minister, legislature and judiciary".^[9]^[10]^[11]

On 3 February 2017, The United Kingdom's High Court stated "There was no duty in the United Kingdom law upon the Government to refrain from recognizing Northern Cyprus. The United Nations itself works with Northern Cyprus law enforcement agencies and facilitates co-operation between the two parts of the island".^[12] and revealed that the co-operation between the United Kingdom police and law agencies in Northern Cyprus is legal.

References

^ BBC Archived 22 May 2018 at the Wayback Machine The President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Hisashi Owada (2010): "International law contains no prohibition on declarations of independence."
^ Oshisanya, An Almanac of Contemporary and Comperative Judicial Restatement, 2016 Archived 14 November 2022 at the Wayback Machine p.64: The ICJ maintained that ... the issue of recognition was apolitical.
^ "Accordance with International Law of the Unilateral Declaration of Independence in Respect of Kosovo, Paragraph 81" (PDF). International Court of Justice. 22 July 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 August 2010. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
^ Beaumont, Peter (22 July 2010). "Kosovo's independence is legal, world court rules". The Guardian. Peter Beaumont, The Guardian (UK), 22.07.2010. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
^ Beaumont, Peter (22 July 2010). "Kosovo's independence is legal, UN court rules". The Guardian. Peter Beaumont, The Guardian (UK), 22.07.2010. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
^ ""Can Kosovo Be A Sample For Cyprus"". Cuneyt Yenigun, International Conference on Balkan and North Cyprus Relations: Perspectives in Political, Economic and Strategic Studies Center for Strategic Studies, 2011. Retrieved 25 March 2020. After the ICJ’s decision on Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence, the TRNC gained a huge advantage on the negotiation table and also an innovative Neo-Wilsonist path reopened in international arena. Can Kosovo be a sample for Northern Cyprus? According to international law, previous decisions are not become a precedent. But practically especially after the advisory opinion of ICJ in 2010, it surely will be inspirational way and another option for Cyprus and Cypriot Turks.
^ ECtHRThe decision of 02.07.2013. paragraph 29
^ ECtHRThe decision of 02.09.2015. paragraph 237.
^ Courthouse News Center 13.10.2014 Property Spat Over Turk-Controlled Cyprus Fails
^ USA's Federal CourtMichali Toumazou, Nicolas Kantzilaris and Maroulla Tompazou versus Republic of Turkey and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
^ USA's Federal CourtToumazou et al v. Republic of Turkey and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
^ The Telegraph 03.02.2017Criminals fleeing British justice can no longer use Cyprus as a safe haven, judges rule, in landmark decision