Turkish Cypriot FM criticizes Russian remarks

NICOSIA - Anatolia News Agency

The Turkish Cypriot foreign minister has defied a statement from Russia rejecting a possible international conference to find a settlement to the division of Cyprus.“A statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry Monday [Jan. 30] on a tri-partite summit meeting in Greentree on Jan. 22 and 24 encourages the Greek Cypriot administration’s uncompromising attitude and it is unhelpful to efforts exerted for a lasting and fair solution in the island,” Hüseyin Özgürgün said in a press release Jan. 31. The Russian Foreign Ministry on Jan. 30 expressed opposition to “a premature international conference” and “outside attempts to speed up the settlement process” as well as to any arbitration effort.