Antalya:Nicosia The Republic of Cyprus has been invited to participate in the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31), scheduled to be held in Antalya, Turkey, in November. This invitation comes after Cyprus engaged in significant diplomatic efforts, bolstered by intervention from the European Union, as revealed by a government source to the Cyprus News Agency.

According to Cyprus News Agency, the invitation was extended following systematic and coordinated efforts by Cyprus, which involved collaboration with European institutions and various EU member states. These efforts were pivotal in ensuring Cyprus's participation in the conference.

The government source highlighted the crucial role played by the European Union, asserting that the EU's support was substantial and anchored in a shared position that emphasized the necessity of full and equal participation of an EU member state in international forums, free from unilateral restrictions.

A report by Kathimerini suggested that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan initially attempted to exclude Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides from the conference by sending personal invitations only to the heads of 26 EU member states for the leaders' meeting on November 11-12.

Turkey, which invaded Cyprus in 1974 and does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus, stands alone in recognizing the Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus region as a legitimate state. Cyprus has been an EU member since 2004.