Cyprus President Challenges Turkish President At United Nations

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Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides has condemned Turkey’s continued occupation of northern Cyprus and called on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to return to substantive negotiations under the UN framework.

Addressing the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Christodoulides said the international order faced unprecedented challenges but stressed that international law, the UN Charter, sovereignty and territorial integrity must remain central to the multilateral system.

“For small-sized countries, the principle of equality of states is fundamental,” Christodoulides said, arguing that smaller states depend on an international system that consistently respects sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He said Cyprus expected international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, to apply consistently and maintained that the peaceful settlement of disputes and protection of every state’s rights formed the basis of Cyprus’ diplomatic engagement.

Cyprus occupation at the centre of UN address

Christodoulides then turned directly to the Cyprus problem, saying the issue demonstrated why consistent application of international law mattered.

“52 years have passed since the illegal Turkish invasion of Cyprus,” he said, describing it as “an act of aggression violating the core principles of the UN Charter.”

He said more than one-third of Cyprus remained under Turkish occupation and accused Turkey of preventing tens of thousands of displaced people and their descendants from returning to their homes.

Christodoulides also referred to Varosha, saying the area remained sealed off in defiance of what he described as Turkey’s obligations under relevant UN resolutions.

He said Cyprus continued to experience violations of fundamental human rights, destruction of religious and cultural heritage and what he described as the organised transfer of settlers and demographic change.

The president also highlighted the unresolved fate of missing persons, saying relatives continued to demand answers about their loved ones.

“UN resolutions cannot be upheld in one case and fully disregarded in another,” Christodoulides said. “The sovereign and territorial integrity of a state cannot depend on its size, its power or the passage of time.”

Christodoulides directly challenges Erdoğan

Christodoulides then addressed Erdoğan’s UN speech from the previous day, saying he had listened carefully to the Turkish president’s references to international law, sovereignty, territorial integrity, occupation and refugees.

“Yet, in relation to my country, in relation to Cyprus, Turkey is doing exactly the opposite,” he said.

“Hypocrisy of the highest form,” Christodoulides added.

He said Erdoğan had quoted extensively from the UN Charter but argued that political leaders should be judged by their actions rather than their words.

“If Mr Erdoğan wants to quote from the Charter, he must first apply the Charter,” Christodoulides said.

Calls for renewed Cyprus negotiations

Christodoulides reaffirmed his commitment to a settlement based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, which he said the UN Security Council had established as the framework for resolving the Cyprus problem.

He said he remained “fully committed” to achieving a functional and viable solution and was ready to resume negotiations from where they had previously stopped.

“The common ground is there,” he said, pointing to UN Security Council resolutions, international law and the values and principles of the European Union as the basis for renewed negotiations.

Christodoulides called for political will and a genuine willingness from all sides to return to meaningful talks and build on the work already achieved.

He said the ultimate goal should be a settlement that reunifies Cyprus and allows Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins to live together “in peace, security and prosperity”.

“Division will not be accepted,” he said. “This cannot and will not be the future for my country and my people ever.”

He also called on Turkish Cypriots to view a shared future as an opportunity for prosperity and urged Erdoğan “to give the green light for substantive negotiations within the UN-agreed framework.”

Cyprus presents itself as regional partner

Beyond the Cyprus dispute, Christodoulides used his address to present Cyprus as an active contributor to regional cooperation and humanitarian efforts.

He highlighted the Amalthea maritime humanitarian corridor, which Cyprus established following the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, and the ensuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

He said Cyprus had used its geographical position, infrastructure and relationships across the region to work with international partners, including through the UN’s Resolution 2720 mechanism.

Christodoulides also said Cyprus had helped evacuate thousands of citizens from 70 countries over the previous three years and had provided humanitarian assistance through Cyprus Aid following natural disasters.

He cited Cyprus’ response to the earthquake in Venezuela and flash floods in Nepal, as well as assistance directed towards Sudan and the wider Sahel region.

The president also highlighted Cyprus’ regional climate-change initiative and an aerial firefighting station at Paphos Air Base, supported by the European Union, which he said served as an operational hub for firefighting and rapid response.

He further pointed to a Cyprus-US cyber centre focused on land, open-seas and port security, saying it had trained thousands of government officials from more than 50 countries across the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

Christodoulides also referred to Cyprus’ presidency of the Council of the European Union during the first half of 2026, saying the country of fewer than one million people had helped steer the work of a union representing around 450 million citizens.

“Our size did not diminish the responsibility to lead, nor did it diminish our ability to fulfil it,” he said.

Multilateralism must protect smaller states

Christodoulides framed Cyprus’ experience as an example of the role smaller states can play in international affairs.

“Great powers have scale. Smaller states must have persuasion,” he said. “We cannot compel but we can coalesce. We cannot dictate outcomes, but together we can help shape them.”

He argued that the credibility of the UN depended on consistent application of international law and said smaller countries needed confidence that international principles and institutional decisions would apply without exception.

“For Cyprus, there is no such dilemma,” he said. “We believe in a United Nations that protects the principles of its Charter and has the capacity to act upon them.”

He concluded by reaffirming Cyprus’ commitment to multilateralism despite the continuing Turkish occupation.

“That is how we restore trust. That is how we manage transformation,” Christodoulides said. “And that is how we build a United Nations that truly delivers for all.”

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