ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey's foreign minister says his country would not recognize Cyprus' EU presidency in mid-2012 unless a deal reunifying the island is reached.
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Wednesday Turkey-EU ties would reach a "freezing point" if Cyprus assumes the presidency before a deal that would allow the Turkish community to be legally represented.
Cyprus has been divided into a Turkish Cypriot north and a Greek Cypriot south since 1974 when Turkey invaded after a short-lived coup.
The island joined the EU in 2004, but only the internationally recognized south has membership benefits.
Numerous U.N.-mediated attempts at reunification have failed, also hampering Turkey’s EU bid.
The latest peace talks have also produced limited progress.
