US Senator Joe Biden Calls for Full Withdrawal of Turkish Troops from Northern Cyprus
Agamemnon
Northern Cyprus
Nicosia, Sep 4 - US Senator Joe Biden, running mate of Democratic
presidential candidate Barack Obama and an experienced diplomat, has called
for the "full withdrawal" of Turkish troops from northern Cyprus in an
interview posted on ''Kathimerini'' on- line edition.
Mr. Biden, chairman of the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee - who has
referred to the Cyprus occupation as an "anomaly" - told Kathimerini that
Washington's relations with Ankara "will be influenced by how the Cyprus
problem is solved, namely by the full withdrawal of Turkey, and from how
Greek and Turkish differences in the Aegean are settled."
Agamemnon
Cyprus
NICOSIA (CNA/ANA-MPA)
US Senator Joe Biden, running mate of Democratic presidential candidate
Barack Obama and an experienced diplomat, has called for the "full
withdrawal" of Turkish troops from northern Cyprus in an interview
posted on''Kathimerini'' on- line edition.
According to a press release, Biden, chairman of the Senate's Foreign
Relations Committee, who has referred to the Cyprus occupation as an
"anomaly", told Kathimerini that Washington's relations with Ankara
"will be influenced by how the Cyprus problem is solved, namely by the
full withdrawal of Turkey, and from how Greek and Turkish differences
in the Aegean are settled."
Biden said the stance of Cyprus leaders - Cyprus President Demetris
Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat - made him
"more optimistic than ever" that a settlement will be agreed upon.
Obama's running mate pledged Washington's "constant and active support"
for peace talks. "We have the opportunity, with the cooperation of
Greece, to find a logical solution to Cyprus and end the occupation,"
he said.
As for tactics for breaking the deadlock, Biden said negotiators should
focus on existing common ground and build from there. "Part of
diplomacy is determining which issues serve common interests and
focusing on these to find a solution," he noted.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and
occupied 37% of its territory.
"Agamemnon" <agam...@hello.to.NO_SPAM> wrote in message
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