The Republic of Cyprus participated as an equal state in two international conferences in Turkey, Minister of Foreign Affairs Markos Kyprianou said Thursday, expressing his discontent with the fact that Turkey, the hosting country, failed to invite him at the banquet hosted by Turkish President Abdullah Gul in honour of the delegates.

“Apart from the issue with the banquet, all facilities and all services were offered to the Republic of Cyprus as to all other states”, Kyprianou said, on his return to Cyprus.

Kyprianou, who participated in the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC IV) and in the 121st Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe that took place during the week 9-13 May in Constantinople, said that Cyprus participated as an equal state in those two conferences.

Referring to the banquet, he said it had been offered by the Turkish government and was not part of the UN program. “Despite that, we believe that Turkey, as a hosting country, should have invited all delegates and we have raised this issue to the UN”, he noted.

On the sidelines of the conferences, Kyprianou met with his counterparts as well as with the UN Secretary General Ban Ki – moon.
He said that the UNSG expressed his content with the participation of Cyprus in the UN conference, “despite the problems regarding the initial invitation and the banquet”.

Kyprianou reiterated that during his meeting with Ban Ki – moon he stressed that the process of the UN backed Cyprus talks must not change, adding that the process has been agreed by the parties. Moreover, he told the UNSG that after the Turkish elections in June, Ankara should get the message that it has to follow a more positive and constructive stance at the Cyprus talks.