Greece on Thursday joined Cyprus in making strong protest to Britain over a document it signed with Turkey earlier this week which called for more contacts between Britain, the European Union (EU) and the Turkish Cypriot- controlled northern Cyprus.
The Greek Foreign Ministry lodged a strong-worded demarche with Britain to protest the agreement signed Tuesday by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan that referred to the northern part of Cyprus as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus."
British Ambassador to Greece Simon Gass was summoned to the ministry over the issue, reported Athens News Agency.
The strategic partnership agreement between Britain and Turkey contained a call for ending what the Turkish Cypriots call " isolation." The two countries agreed to work together in promoting direct commercial, economic, political and cultural contacts between Britain, the EU and the Turkish Cypriots.
This move has angered Greek Cypriots, who described it as "a negative development."
The Cypriot government made similar protest on Wednesday to Britain, its former colonial master who signed the Treaty of Guarantee of the Republic of Cyprus in 1960 with Greece and Turkey.
Cypriot Parliament Speaker Demetris Christofias said Thursday that Britain always "creates very serious problems for the Republic of Cyprus" and Cyprus must be alert and exercise a " preventive policy."
But British ambassadors to Cyprus and Greece have assured that London has not changed its stance on Cyprus and does not recognize any authority other than the legitimate Cyprus government on the island.
British diplomats reiterated London's commitment to the reunification of Cyprus and urged substantive negotiations leading to a political settlement.
"Prime Minister Gordon Brown made clear the importance of seizing the opportunity for progress toward a settlement in 2008. It is only by engaging Turkey in a constructive and strategic way that this goal can be realized," British High Commissioner in Cyprus Peter Millett said in a written statement.
Cyprus has remained divided since 1974 when Turkey militarily intervened and occupied the north of the island following a coup by a group of Greek officers who pushed for union with Greece.
In 1983, the Turkish Cypriot authorities declared setting up " the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," which is only recognized by Turkey.
In a referendum held in April 2004, Greek Cypriots rejected a comprehensive settlement plan by then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan for fear that it would legalize the ethnic division on the island, while Turkish Cypriots approved it.
Talks between the two communities have yielded no breakthrough since then.
Source: Xinhua
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