Cyprus receives invitation to UN climate summit after diplomatic efforts

Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus has reportedly received a letter inviting it to the UN climate summit in Antalya, a government source told the Cyprus News Agency on Sunday. The source said the invitation followed “systematic and coordinated” diplomatic action supported by European institutions and member states.

Invitation follows initial exclusion

The source was responding to a report in Kathimerini that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had sent personal letters to the leaders of 26 EU member states, inviting them to the leaders’ meeting at COP31 on November 11.

According to the source, Cyprus was initially left out of those exchanges. The source did not clarify who sent the invitation Cyprus subsequently received.

European support had been “practical”, the source said, based on a firm common position that the “full and equal participation of an EU member state in international processes cannot be questioned or restricted unilaterally”.

Earlier disputes over participation

The dispute has been developing since spring. In March, Cyprus was reportedly not invited to a COP31 briefing at UN headquarters in New York.

Politico reported, citing diplomats, that Turkey objected when Cypriot officials attempted to attend with the EU delegation. It also reported that Ankara had ignored or rejected meeting requests made on the EU’s behalf while Cyprus held the EU Council presidency.

In April, the EU expressed “serious concern” after Cyprus was reportedly denied participation in a COP31 meeting chaired by Turkish Environment Minister Murat Kurum on March 27.

Turkey defended its position, saying the meetings were not held under a formal UN mandate and that invitations were at the organiser’s discretion.