Turkish FM meets Turkish Cypriot counterpart in Ankara

By Sultan Cogalan

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu urged all stakeholders in Cyprus to sort out their differences following his meeting with Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertugruloglu on Wednesday.

In remarks made at a joint conference in Ankara, Cavusoglu said Turkey hoped the Cyprus issue would be sorted out this year.

"Since the election in Greek Cypriot concluded, there is no excuse anymore. Leaders and negotiators should hold very tight meetings.

"Turkish Cyprus should be strong and ready for the future, regardless the outcome of negotiations.

“We have discussed the reforms ongoing in detail. We have to complete the water pipeline project, [which supplies Turkish Cypriots water from Turkey], we agree on this also,” he said.

About ongoing talks to resolve the dispute over the island, Cavusoglu said, “We expect both leaders to come to a conclusion based on political equality and fairness.”

Turkish Cypriot Minister Ertugruloglu said the identity of Turkish Cypriots was being denied.

Reunification talks between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities on the island resumed in May 2015 when the newly-elected Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus President Mustafa Akinci met with Greek Cyprus’s President Nicos Anastasiades.

Previous negotiations stalled in October 2014 due to a dispute about gas exploration.

The eastern Mediterranean island was divided into a Turkish Cypriot state in the north and a Greek Cypriot administration in the south after a 1974 military coup on the island was followed by the intervention of Turkey as a guarantor power.