Athens has long harboured ambitions to make Cyprus part of the Greek territory like Crete and other islands in the Aegean Sea, causing obstacles to resolving old territorial issues with Ankara, according to experts.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus President Ersin Tatar meets UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades in New York where he calls for sovereign equality and international equal status.
The blaze, which began on Saturday afternoon outside the village of Arakapas, spread quickly amid strong winds and forced the evacuation of at least eight mountain villages, destroying homes and scorching pine forests and orchards.
Turkish Cypriot President Tatar says official talks on future of Cyprus meaningless without recognition of equality of both sides as sovereign states, with Greek Cypriots wanting a bizonal, bi-communal federation with political equality.
At the UN-led meeting, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says Ankara supports a two-state solution to the island with a sustainable settlement only achievable based on ground realities.
Turkey's Foreign Ministry confirms that the 61st round of Exploratory Talks between Turkey and Greece will take place in Istanbul.
Greek Administration of Southern Cyprus has said it will scrap its citizenship scheme for foreign investors next month over alleged abuses uncovered in a television programme.
Guterres had met President Nicos Anastasiades and President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Mustafa Akinci in the German capital for "informal, trilateral" talks of reviving long-stalled peace negotiations.
The Turkish government is standing firm on its oil and gas exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean as Greece and Greek-administered Cyprus call on the European Union to take action against Turkey.
Greek Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades' decision comes after justice minister resigned amid criticism of police for mistakes in following up on the disappearances of some of the women and girls that an army captain claims to have killed.
Both sides exchanged views on the issue of extending the jurisdiction of founding states, in a possible solution to the Cyprus issue.
The opening of the Dherynia border post in the east and the Lefka crossing in the northwest is the first such step to end the 44-year frozen conflict between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots in eight years.
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