ANKARA
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirlioglu called for sincerity in talks for the reunification of Cyprus in his first official trip abroad Monday.
Speaking at a news conference with Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akinci, Sinirlioglu said Turkey wanted to help find a permanent solution that would guarantee “political equality and legitimate rights as soon as possible”.
“We expect a sincere return from Greek Cypriots for Turkish Cypriots who showed their dedication to a solution many times,” he told reporters. “The positive developments in this regard give us hope. We observe that there is a political will from both sides for a joint future, which will be built by Turkish and Greek Cypriots.”
Akinci said he wanted to see a federal structure of two zones as specified in an agreement reached in February last year.
The negotiations were suspended 11 months ago in a row over gas exploration.
The island has been divided since 1974 when a military coup by Greece was followed by Turkey’s intervention on behalf of Turkish Cypriots.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which declared its independence in 1983, is only recognized by Turkey while the Greek Cypriot administration is an EU member with a seat in the UN.
The land border between the two territories was opened in 2003 and visa restrictions subsequently eased.
Sinirlioglu and Akinci offered their condolences to the families of soldiers martyred in an attack by PKK terrorists in Turkey’s southeastern Hakkari province Sunday.
