Senior leaders of Turkey have expressed support for the United Nations' efforts to resolve the division of Cyprus. In a statement following a meeting convened by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer in Ankara, they emphasized that any solution must be based on what they referred to as the realities of Cyprus. In the discussions on Wednesday, in addition to the President, the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, and the Chief of Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces were also present. Cyprus is set to join the European Union in May, but until the division issue is resolved, it is expected that only the Greek Cypriot community will benefit from EU membership.
Turkey Supports UN Efforts to Resolve Cyprus Issue - 2004-01-08
Turkey's senior leaders have backed UN efforts to address the division of Cyprus, emphasizing the need for solutions based on the realities of the island. This comes as Cyprus prepares to join the EU, with implications for the Greek Cypriot community's access to EU benefits until the division is resolved.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Turkey's senior leaders have expressed support for the United Nations' efforts to resolve the division of Cyprus. They emphasized that any solution must reflect the realities on the ground in Cyprus.
- Cyprus is set to join the European Union in May 2004.
- Only the Greek Cypriot community is expected to benefit from EU membership until the division issue is resolved.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, with the northern part controlled by Turkish Cypriots and the southern part by Greek Cypriots. The upcoming EU membership raises questions about the future of the divided island.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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