Turkey urges better Greek Cypriot ties with North

By Murat Demirci

LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Turkey’s deputy prime minister on Friday urged Greek Cypriots to improve relations with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

Speaking to reporters during his visit to TRNC Parliament Speaker Sibel Siber, Recep Akdag said it would be good for Greek Cypriots to improve relations with the TRNC as soon as possible because of the clean water and electricity resources the TRNC has access to.

Later, during his visit to TRNC Prime Minister Huseyin Ozgurgun, Akdag said the TRNC has the cleanest and best water on the island.

He added that TRNC will have cheap, good-quality electricity in the near future and that it has a great potential for tourism.

Akdag said the TRNC’s agricultural revenues will also soar when the soil is irrigated.

"So the Greek Cypriot side should know this: A solution [to the Cyprus issue] would also benefit them," Akdag stressed.

He said Turkey will continue to develop Cyprus and boost its welfare.

"The Greek Cypriots who think that TRNC will not develop, will not stand on its own legs if they imprison the Cyprus issue to the lack of a solution … should see that the TRNC and the soil which this country was founded will move forward much faster from now on," Akdag said.

Cyprus has seen an on-again, off-again peace process in recent years, with the latest initiative in Switzerland under the auspices of guarantor countries Turkey, Greece, and Britain collapsing earlier this year.

Turkey has blamed Greek Cypriot intransigence for the latest talks’ failure and also faulted the European Union for admitting Cyprus as a divided island into the union in 2004, after the Greek Cypriot administration rejected a peace deal.

The Eastern Mediterranean island has been divided since 1974, when a Greek Cypriot coup was followed by violence against the island's Turks, and Ankara's intervention as a guarantor power.