Turkey urges Denktash to agree deal over Cyprus

Mr Erdogan’s declaration that he was "not in favour of following the Cyprus policy that has been followed for 30 or 40 years" is a clear signal that he means to tackle a problem which, unsolved, would threaten Turkey’s own bid to join the EU.
Previous leaders of Turkey, the only country to recognise and support the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, have considered the Cyprus problem solved by a 1974 invasion which led to the island’s partitioning after an abortive coup attempt to merge the island with Greece.
Last week’s demonstration, calling for Mr Denktash to quit, has strengthened the newly elected Justice and Development party vis a vis hardline opponents of a deal in Ankara who support Mr Denktash. Mr Erdogan, previously banned from high office, received a further boost to his authority on Tuesday when the Turkish president approved legislation enabling him to become prime minister after standing in a by-election.
"This business is not Mr Denktash’s personal business. It’s not Ahmet’s or Mehmet’s or Tayyip Erdogan’s. It’s the struggle of a nation for existence," Mr Erdogan said. This comment could be seen as having a double meaning: he understands Turkish Cypriots’ desire for guarantees that they will not be overrun by the larger and richer Greek Cypriot community under a settlement proposed by the United Nations for a "common state" composed of two "component states". In the absence of a deal however, Turkish Cypriots are likely to leave the island in droves by taking out Cypriot passports enabling them to settle anywhere in the EU.
Mr Erdogan warned that the problem would become harder to solve if a solution did not emerge by February 28, a UN deadline coinciding with elections in the Greek Cypriot-controlled south, set to join the EU with or without a deal.
Glafcos Clerides, the 83-year-old Greek Cypriot president, said yesterday he was considering running for re-election next month, if the UN-sponsored talks were still on track. "It would be very unwise in the middle of the negotiations to walk out and give the matter to someone else," he told Reuters, the news agency.
Mr Clerides was due to step down after two terms as president. But with negotiations on the UN plan due to resume on January 13, he is seen as the only Greek Cypriot politician with the authority to persuade voters to accept concessions.