If the current Cyprus negotiations fail, the Turkish Cypriot community will start looking for other options, including annexation with Turkey, Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertugruloglu has said.
He said that he has no hopes that a solution will be reached in 2016 and added that this opinion is not only influenced by the current negotiating procedure. It was not possible to negotiate for equality, when there was no equality demonstrated at the negotiating table, he asserted.
The foreign minister stated that because of the 2018 presidential elections, which will divert the attention of the Greek Cypriots, from the early months of 2017, there will be about five months only left for negotiations. Therefore, he said, during this remaining period, either we will leave the table having reached an agreement or we will agree upon the non-agreement.
Ertugruloglu stated that despite all the issues Ankara faces in the international arena, it continues to show its sensitivity and determination about the Cyprus problem. “Because Ankara knows this very well: A Turkey that loses in the Cyprus issue, will not be able to remain standing on any other issue. I have no worries about this. Ankara will continue to be well and sound”, he said.
Hurriyet
