Northern Cyprus's Mehmet Dana holds talks with EU officials in Brussels

Mehmet Dana, Undersecretary to the Presidency of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), travelled to Brussels after an event at the UK Parliament in London on 21 October and held high-level meetings. According to a presidency statement, he met officials from the Irish presidency of the EU Council and the permanent representations of Italy, France and the Netherlands to the EU.

Dana also met the chief of cabinet and members of EU Council President António Costa. At the European Commission, he met cabinet members of Ursula von der Leyen, Magnus Brunner and Raffaele Fitto, and officials from the European External Action Service's EURCA directorate.

The discussions covered the Turkish Cypriot side's position on Cyprus, the latest stage in confidence-building measures, the UN Secretary-General's visit to the island and upcoming contacts there by his Personal Envoy María Ángela Holguín, as well as Greek Cypriot actions that undermine confidence and the replies from the UN and the Commission.

Dana also raised the isolation of Turkish Cypriots, the violation of EU citizenship rights of children born from mixed marriages, and the Greek Cypriot side's accession process to the Schengen area.