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Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News
Turkey Warns of "Upheaval'' Over Cyprus EU Bid
ISTANBUL (Reuters)--Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem on Tuesday warned of
``serious upheaval'' if the European Union accepts the government of Cyprus
as a member of the bloc.
Turkey, also a candidate for ECU membership, supports a breakaway Turkish
Cypriot administration in the north of the island and says the
internationally recognized government in the south has no right to negotiate
entry for the entire Mediterranean island.
``If the south Cyprus Greek Cypriot administration is taken into the
European Union as the representative of the whole island, this will open the
way to very serious upheaval,'' Cem told reporters in Istanbul.
Turkey argues that a settlement of the tense division of the island can be
achieved only if the breakaway Turkish Cypriot government in the north is
recognized as the equal of the south.
`Our aim on Cyprus is to bring about a joint solution that both sides can
agree on...I am not saying that is impossible, it is extremely hard but not
impossible,'' he said.
United Nations talks on the island's future have been stalled since Turkish
Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas, backed by Turkey, refused to return to the
table until his administration is recognized.
The Greek Cypriot government meanwhile is a leader in the race to join the
ECU in 2004.
Turkey garrisons around 30,000 troops in northern Cyprus, which it invaded
in 1974 after an abortive coup by militant Greek Cypriots seeking union with
Greece.
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