Antalya, Turkey. The European Union has warned Turkey against excluding a delegation from the Republic of Cyprus from November’s Cop31 climate summit in Antalya. The issue was raised during a meeting of EU climate ministers after reports that Cypriot officials had not been invited to earlier preparatory meetings.
Cyprus raises issue at EU ministers’ meeting
Cypriot Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou raised the matter during Thursday’s meeting of EU climate ministers. It had been widely reported that Cypriot officials were not invited to preparatory meetings organised by Turkey earlier this year, despite the island holding the Council of the EU’s rotating presidency.
Reports of exclusion from New York briefing
Last month, Politico quoted diplomats as saying that Turkey did not invite Cyprus to a Cop31 briefing in New York and then objected when Cypriot representatives attempted to attend the briefing alongside the EU delegation.
At the time, Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported that Turkish officials rejected the criticism, saying Ankara was under no obligation to invite an entity it does not recognise diplomatically.
Hurriyet added that Turkey reiterated its longstanding position on the Cyprus issue, saying that Greek Cyprus does not represent the entirety of the island.
Turkey denies plans to exclude Cyprus in November
On this occasion, Turkey appeared to deny assertions that it intends not to invite a Cypriot delegation in November. Reuters quoted Turkish diplomatic sources as saying that Cypriot delegations had been invited to all Cop31-related events under the coordination of the UN.
According to Reuters, the same sources said the New York briefing had been organised independently by the Turkish government and was not part of the official Cop structure.
“The various contacts and meetings conducted by our country in the lead-up to Cop31 are events organised at the national level for purposes of preparation, consultation, and promotion,” the sources were quoted as saying.
The sources also said that the official process of inviting leaders and delegations to the November summit has not yet begun.
EU reiterates position
European Climate Commissioner Wokpe Hoekstra said the EU would not accept the prospect of Cyprus not being invited to the summit.
