Fidan to Visit TRNC Tomorrow for Talks on Latest Developments in Cyprus Issue

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will pay a working visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) tomorrow.

According to information obtained from sources at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fidan will be received by President Tufan Erhürman and Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, and will also meet with Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu during his visit.

The meetings will address bilateral issues and recent developments in the Cyprus issue.

Turkey hopes that Turkish Cypriots, who have equal rights on the island, will be able to live freely and prosperously in accordance with their own wishes. In its capacity as the Motherland and a guarantor state, Turkey continues its efforts to ensure the security, development and prosperity of the Turkish Cypriot people.

Turkey maintains, both in bilateral contacts and on all relevant international platforms, that the most realistic solution to the Cyprus issue lies in the coexistence of the two states on the island; that the sovereign equality and equal international status, which it considers the inherent rights of Turkish Cypriots, must be recognised by the international community; and that the main reason the Cyprus issue has remained unresolved is the Greek Cypriot side's refusal to recognise the inherent rights of Turkish Cypriots and its unwillingness to share political power and economic prosperity with them.

Since 2022, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has used his addresses during the United Nations (UN) General Assembly High-Level Weeks to call on the international community to recognise the TRNC without further delay.

COOPERATION PROCESS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF UN SECRETARY-GENERAL GUTERRES ON THE CYPRUS ISSUE

Following an informal trilateral dinner held in New York on October 15, 2024, between UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the two leaders on the island, a UN statement confirmed that there was no common ground between the parties at that time for a final settlement of the Cyprus issue.

In 2025, at Guterres' suggestion, a process was launched focusing on identifying areas of cooperation that could benefit both communities on the island, with the aim of building trust through the establishment of a culture of cooperation.

Within this framework, the first informal meeting in an expanded format, hosted by Guterres and attended by the two leaders on the island as well as the foreign ministers of Turkey and Greece, was held in Geneva on March 17–18, 2025. Six areas of cooperation on which the parties could work were identified at the meeting.

A second meeting in a similar format was held in New York on July 16–17, 2025, where progress made on the six areas of cooperation during the intervening period was reviewed.

However, no progress has been achieved to date on key issues, including the opening of new crossing points.

GUTERRES' VISIT TO CYPRUS AND THE NEW INITIATIVE HE PLANS TO LAUNCH

Guterres made his first visit to the island on July 27–29. In a press statement following separate and joint meetings with the leaders, he said efforts on the areas of cooperation needed to be intensified. He also announced that he had decided to organise a meeting in the 5+1 format once the necessary preparations had been completed, while stressing that he did not want a meeting that would fail to produce results.

Guterres most recently held separate meetings with the two leaders on the sidelines of the High-Level Week of the 81st UN General Assembly.

Maria Angela Holguín Cuéllar, Guterres' Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is visiting the island from October 29 to November 10.

As part of her visit, Guterres' Personal Envoy on Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguín Cuéllar, held a one-to-one meeting with Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides on October 30 and with TRNC President Erhürman on November 2.