ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th September, 2021) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that he is planning to meet with Greece's prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, during his visit to the United States to participate in the United Nations General Assembly.
The high-level week of the 76th UN General Assembly will take place at New York headquarters from September 21-27.
"In the United States, I will meet with Mitsotakis at his request," Erdogan told reporters at a press conference prior to his departure.
He said that the meeting will discuss illegal migration and the recently adopted Athens Declaration on Cyprus, which Ankara considers "undesirable."
On Friday, the EUMed 9 summit of leaders of nine southern European countries, including Greece, signed the Athens Declaration to reaffirm their commitment� to the peaceful settlement of the Cyprus conflict on the basis of a bicommunal, bizonal federation. Turkey, on the other hand, wants Cyprus to become a confederation of two equal states.
On Saturday, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the provisions of the Athens Declaration were biased and short-sighted.
The Cyprus divide between its Greek and Turkish communities has continued since 1974, when Turkey invaded the island and backed the self-proclamation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
The United Nations has attempted brokering reunification talks between the TRNC and internationally-recognized Republic of Cyprus, but the negotiation has reached an impasse.
