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Cyprus asks EU to add Turkish as one of its official languages

Xinhua, March 1, 2016 Adjust font size:

Cyprus has asked the European Union to add Turkish as one of its official languages, though Turkey's accession negotiations are still floundering, an official said on Monday.

Deputy government spokesman Victor Papadopoulos said that Cyprus's President Nicos Anastasiades sent a letter to EU institutions on Feb. 17, 2016, saying he will actively pursue his request to use Turkish in the European Union.

Anastasiades invoked the provision of Cyprus's 1960 constitution which established both Greek and Turkish as official languages of the state, as Turkish Cypriots made up about 20 percent of the eastern Mediterranean island's population.

"The President said in his letter that in view of the possibility of reaching an agreement on the Cyprus issue, time has come to start preparations to enable the European Union to start using Turkish as an official language," Papadopoulos said.

The European Union has already allocated 50,000 euros(about 54,400 U.S. dollars) to translate into Turkish several documents to enable Turkish Cypriots to adapt to the European laws and regulations.

Cyprus joined the European Union in 2004, but the European Acquis was suspended in the region of Cyprus which Turkey occupied in 1974 in reaction to a coup by the military rulers of Greece at the time.

An EU emissary and other officials are actively involved in the negotiations aimed at a solution reunifying Cyprus, so as to make sure that the provisions of a solution are in line with European legislation.

Papadopoulos said the move was meant a gesture of good will which also aims at a deeper involvement of the European Union in the negotiating process for a solution settlement.

Turkey's negotiations with the European Union are bogged down as a result of its refusal to extend recognition to Cyprus.

Several negotiation chapters were blocked both by Cyprus and other EU countries after Turkey refused to apply a protocol binding it to recognize Cyprus and accord it all benefits enjoyed by other EU member states. Endit