TRNC president invites Pope Francis to North Cyprus as he begin a 3-day visit to Cyprus

The president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has invited Pope Francis to visit the TRNC as he begin a 3-day visit to Cyprus on Thursday.

The President of the Vatican and the spiritual leader of the Catholic world, Pope Francis arrived at the Larnaca airport at around 2.50pm.

He will be in Cyprus for 3 days and take back with him some refugees.

Ersin Tatar in a written statement of Thursday, invited the Pope to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

Tatar noted that his wish and expectation is that Pope Francis responds positively to the invitation and treats all believers on an equal basis, as he constantly expresses.

“Cyprus has two peoples, not just the Christian Greek Cypriots, but the Muslim Turkish Cypriots as well, and I invited the Pope to visit the north, as the President of the state of Vatican and as spiritual leader of the Catholic world,” Tatar said.

He also stated that the Pope's visit to Cyprus was being used for political purposes by the Greek Cypriot side against Turkey and the TRNC.