‘Monaco-like’ autonomy an option: Turkish Cypriot FM

A “Monaco-like” autonomous system, dependent on Ankara in defense and international issues, could be an option for the Turkish side of the divided island of Cyprus, Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu said in a round-table meeting in Washington on Oct. 3. This is not a preference but simply an alternative for the Turkish Cypriots if an international recognition bid seems unlikely to be realized, he stated.“It is time to seek international recognition. Until now we have shied away from doing it. Now we may decide to seek international recognition”, said Ertuğruloğlu, speaking during his first visit to the United States since the collapse of the recent negotiation process for unification on the Mediterranean island. The idea of a federal Cyprus has died and a confederation is at best what seems possible, the minister added, voicing frustration over the collapse of peace talks over the summer.