Nicosia: Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Ersin Tatar departed for New York to attend an informal meeting on Cyprus hosted by the UN. Speaking at a news conference at Ercan Airport in Nicosia, Tatar emphasized the importance of direct flights, contact, and trade with the TRNC as essential for initiating intercommunal talks on Cyprus. He criticized the island's Greek Cypriot side for escalating tensions instead of fostering a positive environment, urging the international community to support the Turkish Cypriots.

According to Anadolu Agency, Tatar declared that the TRNC will never compromise on its sovereignty and is attending the talks to safeguard the rights and legal interests of Turkish Cypriots. He accused Greek Cypriots of intimidating individuals and companies owning property in the TRNC through arrests. Tatar criticized the UN for not taking action in the region and stressed the need for "peace, stability, and security" in any agreement on the island.

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will host the informal meeting on Cyprus, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday in New York. Participants will include Greek Cypriot Administration leader Nikos Christodoulides, foreign ministers of guarantor countries Trkiye and Greece, and the UK minister responsible for EU affairs.

The Cyprus issue has persisted for decades, with divisions between Greek and Turkish Cypriots despite various UN diplomatic efforts for a comprehensive resolution. Ethnic attacks in the early 1960s led Turkish Cypriots to retreat to enclaves for safety. A 1974 Greek Cypriot coup aiming for Greece's annexation of Cyprus prompted Trkiye's military intervention to protect Turkish Cypriots, leading to the establishment of the TRNC in 1983.

Efforts for peace have been intermittent, including a failed 2017 initiative in Switzerland under the auspices of Trkiye, Greece, and the UK. The Greek Cypriot Administration joined the EU in 2004, the same year it blocked a UN plan to resolve the dispute.