The Republic of Cyprus has received an invitation to participate in the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31), to take place in Antalya, Turkey, in November, a government source told the Cyprus News Agency, commenting on a report in Sunday’s edition of Kathimerini according to which Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attempted to exclude Cyprus President, Nikos Christodoulides, from the conference.
The same source noted that the invitation was issued following systematic and coordinated diplomatic efforts by the Republic of Cyprus, involving European institutions and EU member states. It also noted that the clear and coordinated pressure exerted by the European Union was of particular importance, playing a pivotal role in the developments.
The government source told the Cyprus News Agency that the European support was substantial and solid, based on the consistent shared position that the full and equal participation of an EU member state in international fora cannot be called into question or subjected to unilateral restrictions.
According to Kathimerini’s report Turkey’s President Erdogan sent personal letters inviting the heads of government of only 26 EU member states to the Conference leaders’ meeting scheduled for November 11-12.
Turkey, which illegally invaded the island in 1974, does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member state since 2004. It is the only country to recognize the Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus regime as a “legitimate state”.