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Defence & Arms Last Updated: Jul 21, 2017 - 1:35:12 PM


Turkey Repeats Army Will Never Leave Cyprus: Not Negotiable
By TNH, July 19, 2017
Jul 20, 2017 - 9:28:45 AM

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With the fallout from the new collapse of the Cyprus unity talks still being assessed, Turkey’s European Union Minister Omer Celik reiterated that his country’s 35,000-strong army is in the occupied territory to stay and that it’s up for negotiation.

Talks between Cypriot President Nicos Anastasides and Turkish-Cypriiot leader Mustafa Akinci fell apart over Turkey’ insistence on keeping its army in the territory unlawfully seized during a 1974 invasion.

Turkey’s pro-government newspaper The Daily Sabah reported that Celik, speaking at a news conference in Brussels on the sidelines of the Turkey-EU Joint Consultative Committee meeting, blamed Anastasiades and the Cypriots for the failure over their demand the Turkish army can’t stay if there was to be a deal to reunify the island.

“The proposal excluding the presence of Turkish troops on the island is off the table,” the EU minister said, adding that past experience shows Turkish troops need to be on the island for the security of the island as a whole without explaining what he meant.

But he said there would be no discussion allowed about the Turkish army, effectively ending hope the dead talks could be revived after the spectacular failure at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana where even the intervention of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres failed to move the two sides.

Anastasiades and Greece, which along with Turkey and the United Kingdom is a guarantor of security on the island, blamed UN Special Envoy for the debacle, saying he sided with Turkey, was ill-prepared and gave Guterres the false notion a deal was at hand.

Turkey, which refuses to recognize Cyprus and bars its ships and planes, still wants to join the EU and Celik said the bloc needs to review its stance about the country’s membership, the paper said after EU officials criticized Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gaining near-dictatorial powers in a referendum and using strict anti-terror laws for a crackdown.

“The EU should comprehend the reasons behind Turkey’s anti-terror fight amid a difficult period in the region, ensure visa-free travel and support and speed up its accession process,” Çelik said, referring to a suspended deal over swapping refugees and migrants which includes allowing Turks free travel through the EU, fast-track entry into the bloc and six billion euros ($6.92 billion) as well.

“Visa liberalization is a necessity that will also produce positive results regarding the business sphere and will psychologically calm both sides down,” Çelik added even as Turkey pressed the EU despite the Cyprus talks breakdown.

He said 16 chapters have been open for negotiations, while 14 chapters were blocked by the EU Council and Cyprus.

“We expect EU member states to discard the Greek Cypriot administration’s perspective as soon as possible,” Çelik said, adding that the bloc is also responsible for proceeding with Turkey’s accession process.

Speaking to the media following his briefing to the United Nations Security Council, Eide, who had given up at one point, repeated platitudes that all sides should work together to find a solution, the agency’s news center said.

“Not the time to engage in a blame game. There is more than enough of that going around,” said Eide, speaking to the media at a press stakeout.

“We have to admit that there was a collective failure at stitching together a deal in Crans-Montana,” he admitted, however.


Source:Ocnus.net 2017

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