NICOSIA – Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides said he has no plans to meet Turkish-Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on the sidelines of the United Nations’ General Assembly in New York and won’t veer from seeking unity on the island.

The occupied Turkish-Cypriot northern third is a rogue state recognized only by Turkey, which seized the land in two unlawful 1974 invasions and keeps a 35,000-strong standing army there still.

It’s also unaccepted by the UN, leaving Tatar out of any debate or meetings of members although able to try to have discussions with leaders of countries, his demand for his side to be recognized being ignored.

He said he won’t even discuss reunification which is the mandate of the UN and envoys and diplomats, all of which have failed to make any real progress, leaving the Turkish-Cypriots isolated in the world.

Talking at the annual meeting of the accounting firm PwC on Cyprus, Christodoulides said he won’t discuss the two-state demand of Tatar which would give recognition to an occupying force on the island.

The Greek-Cypriot legitimate government is a member of the European Union that Turkey has fruitlessly been trying to join since 2005, prospects worsening under the authoritarian rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

While wanting to join the bloc, he refuses to recognize the Greek-Cypriot government that’s a member at the same he’s insisting that the Turkish-Cypriot rogue state be accepted by the UN, EU and the world.

Questioned about his program in New York, Christodoulides said it won’t include meeting Tatar, leaving the Turkish-Cypriot leader to cool his heels while the Greek-Cypriot side wants the EU involved in talks – rejected by Tatar.

Christodoulides said seeking any path other than reunification “was out of the question,” during his presentation at the meeting, adding it was in line with UN aims and those of the international community.