Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will make a working visit to the north on Friday, 6 November, with discussions expected to focus on the latest developments in the Cyprus issue and coordination between Ankara and the Turkish Cypriot leadership.
The visit comes at a time of intensified diplomatic activity under the auspices of the United Nations, ahead of the scheduled trilateral meeting on 9 November.
According to reports citing sources from the Turkish Foreign Ministry and carried by Turkish Cypriot media, Fidan will meet Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman, "prime minister" Ünal Üstel, and "foreign minister" Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu.
Discussions will focus on bilateral issues and recent Cyprus developments, with the Turkish side expected to reaffirm its position that any settlement should be based on the coexistence of two separate states on the island.
Ankara maintains two-state position
According to the same sources, Turkey continues to regard what it describes as the sovereign equality and equal international status of Turkish Cypriots as essential prerequisites for resolving the Cyprus issue.
Ankara argues that the lack of a settlement is due to what it describes as the Greek Cypriot side's refusal to recognise the inherent rights of Turkish Cypriots and to share political power and economic prosperity with them.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry also highlights Turkey's role as a guarantor power, stressing that Ankara will continue to support the security, development and prosperity of Turkish Cypriots.
In this context, reference is made to repeated calls by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan since 2022 at the United Nations General Assembly, urging the international community to recognise the self-declared state in the north.
UN efforts remain in focus
Turkish diplomatic sources also referred extensively to efforts led by UN Secretary-General António Guterres to promote cooperation between the island's two communities.
Ankara notes that, following the informal trilateral meeting held in New York on 15 October 2024, there was no common ground for a comprehensive settlement.
Since 2025, efforts have therefore focused on identifying areas of cooperation that could benefit both communities and help build confidence.
This led to the informal expanded meeting in Geneva on 17-18 March 2025, involving the two sides and the guarantor powers, where six areas of cooperation were identified.
A second expanded meeting followed in New York on 16-17 July 2025, reviewing progress on those agreed areas.
According to the Turkish side, however, no substantial progress was achieved on key issues, including the opening of additional crossing points.
Holguín contacts and next meeting
Turkish sources also referred to recent initiatives by Guterres and the work of his personal envoy, María Ángela Holguín, who has been conducting a new round of contacts in Cyprus from 29 October to 10 November.
Holguín met President Nikos Christodoulides on 30 October and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman on 2 November.
The contacts are taking place ahead of the trilateral meeting scheduled for Monday, 9 November, during which participants are expected to assess progress on confidence-building measures and examine the possibility of convening a new expanded 5+1 conference.
