Cyprus President Christodoulides set to travel to Antalya for COP31 — Cyprus Mail
Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides is set to travel to Antalya, Turkey, on Tuesday, November 10, to take part in the UN Climate Change Conference COP31. As Cyprus Mail reports, he received an official invitation following diplomatic efforts by Nicosia.
Leaders’ summit on November 11–12
COP31 began on Monday and will run until November 20. The summit of heads of state and government is scheduled for November 11 and 12, where participants will present their positions and commitments on climate action.
The conference is dedicated to strengthening international action in response to climate change, implementing the Paris Agreement and adapting to the consequences of the climate crisis. Participants will also discuss the energy transition, financing climate action and strengthening resilience to the effects of climate change.
Diplomatic significance of the invitation
Government sources told the Cyprus News Agency that Christodoulides’ participation has particular diplomatic significance. According to them, the invitation was the result of coordinated diplomatic steps by Nicosia involving European institutions and EU member states.
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The same sources said that the European Union exerted pressure in the matter based on a common position: the full and equal participation of a member state in international procedures cannot be called into question or unilaterally restricted.
On October 13, Christodoulides said he would attend the COP31 summit despite Turkey not recognizing him as head of state. Earlier, on October 11, government sources told the Cyprus News Agency that Cyprus had allegedly received a letter of invitation to the summit in Antalya. They did not specify who had sent the invitation.
This report came after a Kathimerini publication, which claimed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had sent personal letters to the leaders of 26 EU states inviting them to the COP31 leaders’ meeting. According to the publication, Cyprus was initially not included on that list.
