World Bulletin/News Desk

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus President Dervis Eroglu will run as an independent candidate in the TRNC’s presidential election to be held in April 2015.

Eroglu became the first to announce his candidacy, via a statement on Friday. The current Turkish Cypriot leader was previously elected in 2010.

The president said he had carried out his duty with “honor and pride” and would continue in the same way.

“I went out from among you and walked with you. I am aware of your demands and your expectations of me as a president,” he said.

He underlined that he was not only interested in the Cyprus issue during his term but also focused on issues affecting children, women, education and health.

Eroglu also referred to a joint declaration which outlines how talks to resolve the dispute in Cyprus should move forward. It recommends recognizing the equal status of the two states on the island, while aiming to bring the divided communities closer under a federated government and was signed during in his term, he said.

While the European Union recognizes the Greek-Cypriot administration on the island, Turkey recognizes the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus diplomatically.

The negotiations between the Turkish and Greek Cypriots resumed after a two-year pause in February 2013. The previous round of talks had collapsed in 2012.

However, the Greek-Cypriot administration suspended the talks over the divided island on October 7 this year after Turkey sent a ship to monitor an oil-and-gas exploration mission off the coast of Cyprus.