Ankara hints reunifying Cyprus as federation ‘may not be possible’

A Turkish Foreign Ministry official said on Thursday that reunifying Cyprus as a federation may not be possible, AP reported. Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy also suggested that alternatives should be sought to resolve the island’s decades-long ethnic division, AP reports. The remarks could signal a major shift from long-established parameters that have steered negotiations for four decades. Aksoy said numerous rounds of peace talks have turned into a “vicious circle.” The latest failure in negotiations occurred at a Swiss resort nearly a year ago. “It is not possible to reach a federal solution with the Greek Cypriots’ mindset,” Aksoy said. “We believe that it is time to try a new way.” The spokesman didn’t elaborate on what the alternatives could be.