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Turkey wishes Cyprus issue solution based on equality

Türkiye Materials 3 February 2015 22:42 (UTC +04:00)
Addressing a weekly briefing in Ankara, Foreign ministry spokesman spoke about support for Turkish Cypriots, Crimea and the situation in Syria and Egypt
Turkey wishes Cyprus issue solution based on equality

Turkey wishes to find a solution of the Cyprus issue based on political equality, Anadolu Agency reported the statement of the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

Addressing a weekly briefing in Ankara, spokesman Tanju Bilgic said Turkey would always continue to support Turkish Cypriots.

"Our wish is to resume the negotiation process as soon as possible and find a solution based on political equality on the island," Bilgic said.

"Our priority is to ensure full benefits for the Cypriot people," he said.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, during his first official visit to southern Cyprus Monday, said, "Turkey's sending of the Barbaros Hayrettin seismic vessel (in October last year) is a clear violation of international law and a sabotage of peace negotiations."

Tsipras called on Turkey to respect international law and not threaten Greece for the continuation of negotiations.

Turkey and the government of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus have strongly opposed any "unilateral" move by the Greek-Cypriot administration to explore any hydrocarbon resources around the island, saying its natural resources should be exploited in a fair manner under a united Cyprus.

Negotiations between the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Greek Cypriot administration had resumed after a two-year pause in February 2013.

However, the Greek Cypriot administration suspended the talks over the divided island on Oct. 7 after Turkey sent a ship to monitor an oil-and-gas exploration mission off the coast of Cyprus.

Turkey and Greece are the guarantor countries for the disputed Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Both Turkish and Greek Cypriots are trying to find a way to settle their decades-long conflict.

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