Ankara is threatening to put the status of the breakaway regime in the Turkish-held northern part of Cyprus on the table as part of the negotiations to allow Finland and Sweden to join NATO.
The two Scandinavian countries had reversed their decades-long opt-out from the NATO alliance in the wake of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and threats made by Russia to both countries.
But Turkey which strongly opposes the enlargement of the international defense pact considers using the diplomatic crisis as a means to press for unacceptable recognition of the ‘trnc’, according to a press report in Britain’s Daily Express.
A source close to Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar confirmed to the paper that Turkish President Recep Erdogan will ask that the occupied area is recognised as a separate country.
Cyprus is divided since a 1974 invasion by Turkey which still maintains troops in the northern part of the EU-member island. And it is the only country recognizing the illegal regime which is flooded with Turkish settlers as well.
UN-sponsored peace talks have taken place on and off for many years but are in deadlock because of the Turkish intransigence.
