It is futile to discuss federation as the template for a Cyprus settlement in Geneva - Turkish foreign minister

Turkey has said it believes it is futile to continue to discuss a bizonal bicommunal federation as the template for a Cyprus settlement, and will make this clear at the upcoming conference in Geneva.

According to Turkey's foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu on Thursday.

There is no sense to negotiate the impossible again, it is a waste of time, Mevlut Cavusoglu said.

This waste of time works to the benefit of the Greek Cypriot side, which enjoys recognition [as a state] and membership of the European Union.

Speaking ahead of talks with his Greek counterpart on Thursday, Cavusoglu said that “on our way to Crans Montana [in 2017] we told our interlocutors that we are going to discuss a federation for the last time.”

Cavusoglu added that they will be making their position clear at the five-way informal summit on Cyprus set to take place from April 27 to 29 in Geneva.

Cavusoglu reiterated that, for the Turkish side, the conversation has shifted to establishing two separate states on the island.

The two sovereign states can cooperate in any way. We need to speak about a cooperation between two sovereign states, rather than press on for something that would never happen.