LEFKOSA, TRNC
Turkey wants a lasting, fair and sustainable peace in Cyprus, which protects the rights of two peoples, Turkey’s European Union Affairs Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Saturday.
“We hope that the peace process in Cyprus can take place under the roof and auspices of United Nations”, Cavusoglu said while participating in the “Cyprus toward peace” panel, during his visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
“The European Union can provide support, but given that the Greek Cypriot administration is part of the Union, it is not right that the EU should be at the (negotiation) table,” Cavusoglu added.
The Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders had previously announced in February in a joint declaration the unification of the island under a federation of two states.
The island of Cyprus has remained divided into Greek and Turkish parts since a Greek Cypriot coup was followed by a Turkish peace mission to aid Turkish Cypriots in the north in 1974.
The Greek Cypriot administration is a member of the European Union and is internationally recognized except by Turkey, which is the only country that recognizes the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
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