Turkey turns North Cyprus conflict into absurdity

YEREVAN, JULY 26, ARMENPRESS:

The North Cyprus issue remains the chief impediment for Turkey on its way to EU integration, director of the Oriental Studies Institute of NAS, Turkologist Ruben Safrastyan said at a news conference today, adding that this conflict has reached absurdity level as Turkey wants to become member of the international establishment not recognizing either the independence or the territorial integrity of another member-state of that establishment.

"Till now Turkey keeps a 34-40 thousand-member troops in North Cyprus and demands turning Cyprus into a confederation. And the Greek party does not see any other variant but the unification of the state with the provision of wide privileges to the Turkish-populated northern regions", Safrastyan said, pointing out that Turkey sees the implementation of its goals more within the framework of the UN than the EU. "Such an attempt was made in 2004 when the issue of North Cyprus was transferred to the UN where Turkey was backed by the USA and Great Britain", the speaker said.