Turkey won’t recognize Cyprus as EU presidency

ANKARA, Turkey – Turkey’s prime minister says his country will not sit at the table with Cyprus if it assumes the European Union’s presidency before a deal reunifying the ethnically split island is reached.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has already warned that Turkey will freeze its relations with the bloc if Cyprus takes over the 27-member bloc’s rotating presidency in July 2012. He said Saturday Turkey will not deal with a “so-called country.” Turkey does not recognize Cyprus as a sovereign nation.

Erdogan also warned Cyprus that Turkey will “retaliate even more strongly” to any further search for oil and gas resources in the Mediterranean. Turkey has already dispatched a research ship and frigates to the area in response to a Greek Cypriot search for fuel deposits.

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