A State Department official has said there are no meetings with Turkish Cypriot representatives to announce at this time, noting that in the past such meetings have taken place in New York.
Replying to a question on information that the so-called minister of foreign affairs of the illegal Turkish Cypriot regime in Cyprus’ northern Turkish occupied areas Ozdil Nami will hold meetings at the State Deparment in late September, the official said that “we have no meetings to announce at this time”.
“In previous years, on the sidelines of UN General Assembly, US officials had the opportunity to meet with prominent representatives of the Turkish Cypriot community in New York”, he indicated.
He further pointed out that “such meetings reinforce US support for UN-led Cyprus negotiations aimed at reuniting Cyprus as a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation”.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. UN led talks have been underway since February aiming to reunite the island under a federal roof.
The UN has described the Turkish Cypriot regime, in occupied Cyprus, as “legally invalid” and has called on all states not to facilitate it. Furthermore, it has reiterated that it recognises only one state on the island, the Republic of Cyprus. Turkey is the only country which recognises the regime, which the European Court of Human Rights said it is a subordinate local administration to Turkey.