Turkish foreign minister meets with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus counterpart

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday met with his Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) counterpart, Tahsin Ertugruloglu.

The meeting took place in Lefkosa, Northern Cyprus' capital, where Ertugruloglu had earlier welcomed Fidan upon his arrival.

Türkiye's Ambassador to Lefkosa Yasin Ekrem Serim, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' Ambassador to Ankara Ismet Korukoglu also attended the meeting.

As part of his visit, Fidan is scheduled to meet with TRNC President Ersin Tatar, Parliament Speaker Ziya Ozturkler, and Prime Minister Unal Ustel.

Later, a joint press conference with President Tatar is expected.

Fidan is paying a two-day working visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

- DECADES-LONG CYPRUS PROBLEM

Cyprus has been mired in a decades-long dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the UN to achieve a comprehensive settlement.

It has seen an on-and-off peace process in recent years, including a failed 2017 initiative in Switzerland under the auspices of guarantor countries Türkiye, Greece, and the UK.