Cyprus Threatens to Veto Talks on Turkey Accession to EUFebruary 27, 2006 - 17:17 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - February 28 bilateral talks between Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan begin in Paris. The meeting aim is search for new approaches to the Cyprus problem, which is a major obstacle for Turkey's membership in the EU. In the opinion of Cyprus, Ankara does not make constructive proposals over settlement of the issue. In its turn Cyprus threatens to veto talks on Turkey's accession to the EU owing to Ankara refusal to recognize the Greek Cyprus. According to Cypriot Information Minister Yannakis Solomu, in spite «it is felt today that Turkey actually wants accession to the EU, the Turkish party wants to get everything, without ceding anything - either return of occupied territories, the refugee issue or that of Turkish settlers, or other sore issues.» Now, when Cyprus is already a full EU member, while Turkey only aspires to start talks on accession, Cyprus has a good instrument for putting pressure upon Ankara, reports NEWSru.com. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. |