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Turkey pushes for conclusion at 'final' Cyprus talks

'We cannot continue negotiations forever,' says Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu

Ersin Çelik
08:54 - 30/06/2017 Cuma
Update: 09:02 - 30/06/2017 Cuma
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Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu
Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Thursday described the ongoing round of Cyprus negotiations as a “final” series of talks.

"We cannot continue negotiations forever,” Çavuşoğlu told reporters at the UN-backed reunification talks in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.

"This conference on Cyprus is the final one and there should be a conclusion at this round in Crans-Montana," he added, calling on the Greek Cypriot leadership to bring “acceptable proposals” to the table.

Greek media claims about an alleged plan to cut Turkish troop numbers in Cyprus by 80 percent were dismissed by Ankara earlier on Thursday.

Çavuşoğlu told reporters Ankara could not accept having “zero troops” in Cyprus.

Ankara has maintained a military presence in Cyprus since 1974, to safeguard the Turkish community on the island.

UN backing

Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı and Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades met in Crans-Montana on Thursday, joined by Çavuşoğlu, UN envoy Espen Barth Eide and Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias.

Akıncı and Anastasiades have been involved in reunification talks to create a federal state since May 2015.

The UN is seeking a peace deal to unite Cyprus under a federal umbrella, which could also define the future of Europe’s relations with Turkey, a key player in the conflict.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is expected to join the ongoing discussions on Friday.

The eastern Mediterranean island has been divided since 1974, when a Greek Cypriot coup was followed by violence against the island’s Turks, and Ankara's intervention as a guarantor power.

#Cyprus
#Mevlut Cavusoglu
7 yıl önce