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Sputnik 13 January 2017

Maksim Blinov

Turkish Foreign Minister said that Ankara is opposed to the idea of making the European Union a guarantor of Cyprus reunification, as the bloc is unable to ensure security on the island and adherence to a reunification deal.

Ankara is opposed to the idea of making the European Union a guarantor of Cyprus reunification, as the bloc is unable to ensure security on the island and adherence to a reunification deal, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Friday.

"Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Ankara share the opinion that Turkey must maintain its status of a guarantor country, while stationing of the Turkish troops on the island should continue… Which of the conflicts up to this day has the European Union managed to prevent?.. The structure that cannot resolve the existing problems and adheres to the double standards policy on many issues will of course be unable to provide security on the island," Cavusoglu was quoted as saying by the Anadolu news agency.

The foreign minister added that claims that the European Union could act as a reunification guarantor sound like fiction.

The minister said the talks could not "continue indefinitely," so they should be resumed on Wednesday and then end with a meeting at a ministerial level.

According to Cavusoglu, all possible scenarios of the negotiations should be foreseen, including the negative ones.

"Do not forget that there are problems in the Eastern Mediterranean and in the Middle East, while no serious confrontation has been recorded in Cyprus for 43 years. This became possible due to Turkey's role as a guarantor state," he added.

The Cyprus reunification talks with the participation of Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci and President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades started in Geneva on Monday. On Wednesday, the two sides exchanged maps outlining the areas of control for Greek and Turkish communities.

On Thursday, an international conference took place with the participation of guarantor countries — Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Union whose delegation was led by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

The talks are set to resume on January 18, when the working group will make a list of particular issues and tools to be discussed.

Cyprus became divided in 1974 after a Turkish military invasion, caused by a coup conducted by the supporters of the island's unification with Greece. Negotiations concerning Cyprus reunion renewed in February 2014 after a two-year break. In November 2016, they broke up because of differences concerning territorial issues.

Read more: https://sputniknews.com/world/201701131049551615-eu-cyprus-turkey-reunification/