EU calls Turkey's exclusion of Cyprus from COP31 briefing unacceptable

The European Union declared Thursday that Turkey's decision to bar Cyprus from a United Nations preparatory briefing for the COP31 climate conference is unacceptable, EU Spokeswoman Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said, as reported by The Korea Times.

The incident lays bare deep tensions in EU-Turkey relations over Cyprus's contested status — divisions that could complicate Turkey's role as host of the November 2026 global climate summit in Antalya.

EU Spokeswoman Anna-Kaisa Itkonen told reporters in Brussels that the bloc had communicated its objection directly to both Turkey and the United Nations. "We have made it clear that the exclusion of a United Nations member state from the preparation process of the UN COP31 climate conference is not acceptable," she said, according to The Korea Times.

Turkey subsequently gave assurances it would reverse course. "Turkey has assured us that Cyprus would not be excluded from future preparatory meetings for COP31," Itkonen said.

The confrontation stems from a decades-old divide. Turkish forces invaded Cyprus in 1974 following a Greek-backed coup, splitting the island. In 1983, Turkish Cypriot leaders in the north proclaimed the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus — a state recognized only by Turkey.

The Republic of Cyprus, which governs the majority Greek Cypriot south, holds full membership in both the European Union and the United Nations. Turkey, however, does not recognize it as a legitimate state, a position that has long strained Ankara's ties with Brussels.

Turkey is scheduled to host COP31 in the Mediterranean city of Antalya in November 2026. The exclusion episode has drawn renewed attention to the limits of EU-Turkey diplomatic cooperation at a moment when Ankara holds the gavel over a summit of global importance.

The EU said it remains in contact with both Turkey and the United Nations to ensure all member states participate fully in preparations for COP31.