Marcoullis: Key to Cyprus issue in hands of Turkish army


The new Greek Cypriot foreign minister targeted the Turkish military in her first remarks to the Turkish media since being appointed, saying that the key to the Cyprus issue was in hands of the Turkish military and not in the hands of the political leadership of the country.

Erato Kozakou Marcoullis "There are two aspects of the Cyprus issue. One of them is domestic affairs, which should be discussed by community leaders. The other one is its international dimension -- the presence of [Turkish] troops, the guarantorship system and the security of the Turkish Cypriots," Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou Marcoullis was quoted as saying on Monday in an interview with NTV, in her first remarks to the Turkish media after being appointed in mid-July.

Marcoullis said she didn't believe that Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat has had a say in matters concerning the presence of Turkish troops in the northern part of the island, the guarantorship system or in the provision of security to the Turkish Cypriots.

"The key is in the hands of Turkey on these issues. So, needless to say that we want to discuss these issues either with [Turkish] Prime Minister [Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan or with the Turkish military. If speaking frankly, we believe that the key is in the hands of the Turkish military, not in the hands of the politicians in Turkey," she said.