President Christodoulides attends EPC summit in Dublin following incidents in Antalya

Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides is attending the 9th European Political Community (EPC) summit in Dublin, focused on the theme "Europe: Strong, Secure and Connected." During a panel on defending democratic Europe, he addressed the rising frequency of hybrid threats, including cyberattacks and disinformation, calling for a coordinated, principle-based European response. The summit also provides a venue for bilateral meetings, including a scheduled discussion with the Prime Minister of Canada.

His attendance follows the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was criticized for avoiding the customary reception of the Cypriot President. Cypriot government officials described this as a diplomatic impropriety, emphasizing that despite these actions, Cyprus remains the only internationally recognized state on the island. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts are intensifying regarding the Cyprus issue. President Christodoulides held a telephone conversation with EU envoy Raffaele Fitto ahead of the latter’s visit to Turkey on November 20. Nicosia maintains that the resumption of negotiations from the point they stalled at Crans-Montana in 2017 remains the essential condition for further progress in EU-Turkey relations.