Northern Cyprus voices regret over Mahmoud Abbas' visit to Republic of Cyprus

Northern Cyprus has expressed regret over Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' visit to the Republic of Cyprus, saying the trip is taking place without regard for the will of the Turkish Cypriots, according to Report.

The Foreign Ministry of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said in a statement that it was closely monitoring Abbas' visit and had taken note of reports that the Cyprus issue would be discussed during his meeting with Republic of Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides.

"For many years, Turkish Cypriots have sincerely supported the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and their legitimate struggle. Based on this strong historical solidarity, we would like to emphasize that we expect the legitimate rights and interests of the TRNC to be taken into account during the talks," the statement said.

The Foreign Ministry stressed that there are two separate peoples and two separate states on the island.

"This visit, which is taking place without regard for the will of the Turkish Cypriots, has been received with regret by our people," the ministry said.

At the same time, the Foreign Ministry of Northern Cyprus expressed its readiness to develop dialogue with Palestine.

Earlier, it was reported that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had arrived in the Republic of Cyprus for a working visit, during which he is scheduled to hold talks with Nikos Christodoulides. This is Abbas' third visit to the country since becoming president.