Diplomatic friction over COP 31 invitations in Turkey

Turkey is scheduled to host the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 31) in Antalya on November 11-12, 2026. Controversy arose when Ankara initially failed to invite the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides. Following diplomatic pressure and interventions, the Turkish authorities eventually extended an invitation to the Cypriot president. However, the move has caused further tension as Ankara simultaneously invited Tufan Erhürman, the leader of the breakaway Turkish Cypriot entity, to attend the summit.

This incident mirrors a similar diplomatic crisis from May 2016, when then-President Nicos Anastasiades withdrew from the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul after Turkey unexpectedly invited the then-Turkish Cypriot leader, Mustafa Akıncı, to a banquet honoring heads of state. Nicosia views the inclusion of the breakaway entity's leader as an attempt by Ankara to create a false parity, which remains a primary source of political friction regarding the recognition and representation of the Republic of Cyprus in international forums.