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                    Biden Visits Cyprus, Backs Peace Process

   by VOA News

   U.S. Vice president Joe Biden is visiting Cyprus to show support for
   island's long, and so far unsuccessful, peace and reconciliation
   process.
   Biden had dinner Wednesday with Greek Cypriot President Nicos
   Anastasiades.
   The U.S. vice president also plans to meet with Turkish Cypriot leader
   Dervis Ergolu. Biden says meeting with Ergolu does not mean the United
   State recognizes a Turkish Cypriot state. Biden says there is only "one
   legitimate government" on Cyprus - in the Greek Cypriot south - and
   that his visit will not change that.
   Cyprus has been split between a Greek Cypriot south and a Turkish
   Cypriot north since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded after a coup
   intended to unify the island with Greece.
   Years of U.N. sponsored peace talks have made only modest progress.
   Experts say a unified Cyprus would make it easy to export natural gas
   reserves to Europe through Turkish pipelines as another alternative to
   Russian gas.
   Biden is the most senior U.S. official to visit Cyprus since Vice
   President Lyndon Johnson in 1962.
   Biden's stop in Cyprus is part of a tour aimed at isolating Russia for
   its actions in Ukraine. He said he would discuss events in Ukraine with
   Cypriot leaders.  But deep economic ties with Russia mean Cyprus is
   reluctant to support sanctions against Russian officials the U.S. says
   are responsible for destabilizing Ukraine.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/biden-visits-cyprus-backs-peace-proce
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References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/biden-visits-cyprus-backs-peace-process-/1919796.html