Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Turkish Minister: Troops Won't Leave Cyprus Under Peace Deal

by Associated Press

   NICOSIA, CYPRUS --

   Turkey's foreign minister says Turkish soldiers will remain on Cyprus
   under any agreement to reunify the ethnically divided island.
   Mevlut Cavusoglu says Turkey won't accept a peace accord that would
   mandate the withdrawal of all of its troops from Cyprus -- a key demand
   by Greece and internationally recognized Greek Cypriots.
   He told reporters after a morning round of talks at a Swiss resort
   Tuesday that anyone "dreaming" of removing all Turkish troops from the
   island has "to wake up."
   Cavusoglu says abolishing military intervention rights in an envisioned
   federal Cyprus is a "non-starter" for Turkey and the nation's breakaway
   Turkish Cypriots.
   Turkey has kept more than 35,000 troops on Cyprus since 1974, when it
   invaded in the wake of a coup mounted by supporters of union with
   Greece.