US Offers Recognition of Greeks in Early 2006

The Fileleftheros quoting an unnamed diplomatic source claimed that Turkey was working for the recognition of the Cypriot Republic at meetings going on between Ankara and Athens and Greek Cyprus. The newspaper said that in negotiations approved by both sides the date of January 1st 2006 was proposed for Turkey’s recognition of the Greek side. Declaring that the American government had pressured the Turkish side to avoid behavior that could make legitimize the ‘possible’ veto of Greek and Rum (Greeks who holds Turkish citizenship) Cypriots, the newspaper claimed that the US offer of January 1st 2006 satisfied both sides. It wrote that within this framework the US ambassador and Greek leader Tasos Papadopulos were engaged in constant and versatile negotiations. On the other hand Papadopulos, in a statement made at the airport, claimed that the recognition of the "Cypriot side" by Turkey was inevitable and went on to say, "The problem is when it will be, before or after December 17th. We see it as an obligation of Turkey for both Cypriot Republic and EU."