EU officials address Cyprus' exclusion from COP31 preparatory meetings

Following the Environment Council meeting in Luxembourg, European Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra and Cypriot Minister Maria Panayiotou criticized Turkey's failure to invite Cyprus to COP31 preparatory meetings in New York and Tokyo. Hoekstra emphasized that UN-organized conferences require organizers to treat all EU member states equally, stating there is no room for national diplomacy in this context. Minister Panayiotou requested an early response from the European Union if Cyprus remains excluded from the main conference. Hoekstra maintained that the EU acts as a bloc of 27 members, rejecting any differentiation in how member states are treated. He confirmed that the EU will clearly communicate this position to the Turkish presidency, Australian representatives, and the United Nations. When asked about potential boycotts, the Commissioner declined to speculate on hypothetical scenarios but insisted on the principle of solidarity among all 27 member states.