Cyprus: Turkey wants Kosovo scenario
Cypriot Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou Marcoullis accused Turkey on Tuesday of preparing a Kosovo-like scenario in the breakaway “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”, and underlined that Nicosia will oppose Kosovo’s independence.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Wednesday, October 17, 2007
"Inside the European Union, Cyprus will be against a recognition of independence (...) we will certainly not be alone with our veto", she said, adding that a secession of Kosovo from Serbia would be a "dangerous precedent".
"Turkey is probably preparing a scenario like Kosovo", Kosakou Markoullis told reporters in Vienna.
Nicosia would not agree to such a scenario for northern Cyprus, she said after a meeting with her Austrian counterpart, Ursula Plassnik.
Only efforts by the United Nations Security Council will provide a solution for Cyprus, she said.
Cyprus has been divided along ethnic lines since 1974.
Kosakou Markoullis said the divide between the two sides was getting deeper and expressed regret that Turkish President Abdullah Gul had promoted a two-state island during a visit to northern Cyprus.
Turkey maintains about 40,000 troops in northern Cyprus and supports it economically.
