Turkish PM accuses Greek side of stalling talks

LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

The Turkish prime minister has accused the Greek Cypriot administration of stalling the reunification talks in Cyprus “for no reason”.

Speaking at a news conference following a meeting with Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akinci on Thursday in Lefkosa, Binali Yildirim called the course of the peace talks“unsustainable”.

“It’s unacceptable and also unsustainable that the Turkish side and the international community have been stalled for no reason,” Yildirim said.

Late last month, the Greek Cypriot parliament voted to introduce a yearly public school commemoration of a 1950 referendum in which Greek Cypriots voted overwhelmingly for Athens to take over the island, an idea known as Enosis (Union).

That vote has destroyed current negotiations over the island and has led to increased tension between the sides, according to Northern Cyprus.

Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akinci said starting the reunification talks again could be possible “if the Greek side shows Turkish Cypriots that they can correct their Enosis mistake”.

"What we we need in Cyprus is a peace culture, not Enosis culture," he said.

The eastern Mediterranean island was divided after a 1974 coup was followed by violence against the island’s Turkish population and Turkey’s intervention to protect them.