A Turk ‘no’ on Cyprus recognition
Turkey gave the cold shoulder yesterday to calls for it to recognize the Cypriot government, despite concerns that this could harm Ankara’s bid to join the European Union. «The Greek Cypriots would always come up with various demands. They are trying to somehow shrug off responsibility for the failure (of efforts) to resolve the Cyprus conflict,» Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan told reporters. «It is obvious who bears the responsibility… and the whole international community knows that.» Tan was referring to the April 24 referendum on a United Nations reunification plan, which the Greek Cypriots rejected by a 75.8 percent majority and the Turkish Cypriots approved by 65 percent. As a result, on May 1 Cyprus joined the EU divided. A poll published in Cyprus’s Simerini newspaper yesterday indicated that most Greek Cypriots have no regrets over their stance in the referendum. According to the survey, if the peace blueprint went to the vote again, 61 percent of Greek Cypriots would turn it down, while 32 percent would vote «yes,» with 7 percent undecided. (AFP)
