The Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus sent a letter to the UN Representations asking them not to contact TRNC Representatives.

The Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus (GCASC) sent a letter to all permanent representations and permanent observer missions in the United Nations, calling for no contact with the representatives of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

According to the news in the TRNC press as well as in the "Cyprus Mail" newspaper, the Permanent Representation of the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus to the UN called on diplomats and government representatives in New York for the United Nations General Assembly to refrain from meeting with Turkish Cypriot representatives. In the letter that Cyprus Mail stated that it had seen, the TRNC was described as a "separatist formation" and it was stated that information was obtained that Turkish Cypriot representatives were trying to establish contacts with high-level officials in New York.

While the Greek Cypriot side claimed that these initiatives were aimed at "spreading separatist policies", the permanent representations and observer missions of the UN member states were asked not to meet with the representatives of the Turkish Cypriot side, citing the UN Security Council resolutions.

Scandalous statements

According to the news of Cyprus Mail, while the term "separatist entity" was used for the TRNC in the letter, it was claimed that the contacts of the Turkish Cypriot side were aimed at "promoting separatist policies". In the letter, the following statements attracted attention:

“In view of the foregoing and information that representatives of the separatist entity are currently requesting meetings in New York with the aim of promoting their separatist policies, taking advantage of the presence of high-ranking officials there, the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Cyprus respectfully requests the Permanent Missions and Permanent Observer Missions to refrain from any contact or meetings with such representatives, in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.”

Contacts continued

On the other hand, it was reported that TRNC President Tufan Erhürman and Presidential Undersecretary Mehmet Dânâ, who is in New York, had a series of diplomatic contacts. President Tufan Erhürman met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York. Erhürman, who went live on Cyprus Bayrak Television after the meeting, stated that the meeting focused on confidence-building measures. Erhürman explained that they talked about 7 items, including crossing points, demining, disaster response and mechanisms to combat irregular migration, establishing coordination with civil society, sports activities and granting the right to European Union (EU) citizenship to born children. Erhurman said, "While we are working on confidence-building measures, we are faced with the Greek side's approach, which further erodes existing trust, at the same time."

Erhürman also met with the UN Secretary-General's Personal Representative in Cyprus Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation İsmail Vild al-Sheikh Ahmed and Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan.

It was reported that Presidential Undersecretary Mehmet Dânâ also met with UN Deputy Secretary-General for Political Issues and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary A. DiCarlo, his Greek Cypriot counterpart Menelaos Menelau and UN Deputy Secretary-General Rosemary A. Dicarlo.

Another crisis

Another crisis occurred between the TRNC and the Greek Cypriot side regarding the tripartite meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The statements made by the Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Hristodulidis after his contacts in New York created a picture in his country's press that UN Secretary-General Guterres wanted a tripartite meeting and that the Turkish side's response was expected and even received it negatively. However, the TRNC press wrote that, in the light of information obtained from diplomatic sources, there was no such meeting in the UN program and that Guterres was of the opinion that sufficient progress had not yet been made for a new meeting. Diplomatic sources noted that Guterres did not offer any proposal for a tripartite meeting in the 2+1 format during the contacts in New York.