Public statements by Turkish officials to the effect that the Cyprus peace talks have ended are nothing more than proof of Turkey’s objective to legalise its illegal actions on the island, the government said on Friday.

In a written statement, issued here today, in response to remarks by Turkish EU Minister Omer Celik that the negotiations on Cyprus have neither been frozen nor suspended but have actually ended, Acting Government Spokesman Victoras Papadopoulos said “As we have repeatedly stated, our position is that the unacceptable status quo on the island is the result of the Turkish invasion and continuous occupation of Cyprus’ northern part.”

The position of the President of the Republic and the Government, as well as the position of previous presidents and governments and the UN, is that a solution should be found on the basis of the high level agreements of 1977 and 1979 between the island’s two communities, the UN resolutions and Security Council decisions on Cyprus.

“Statements by the Turkish Foreign Minister and the Turkish Minister responsible for EU affairs are nothing but proof of Turkey’s objective, which is none other than the legalisation of its illegal actions”, he pointed out.

Their statements, the acting spokesman said, also prove that in Crans Montana, Turkey, through its intransigent positions and proposals, led to failure the Cyprus Conference in order to justify its long standing efforts to implement the so-called plan B to legitimize the faits accomplis it has illegally created.

“The President of the Republic, once again, is ready to return to the negotiating table immediately if Turkey implements everything that is included in the parametres set up by the UN Secretary General,” he adds.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied its northern third. The latest round of the UN-backed Cyprus talks in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, ended inconclusively. The peace talks under the auspices of the UN aim at reuniting the island under a federal roof.

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