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ANKARA, March 29 (AFP) - Turkey has agreed to
extend its customs agreement with the European Union
to Cyprus but denied that this amounted to
recognition of the government in Nicosia, the
Anatolia news agency said Tuesday.
Citing diplomatic sources, the agency said Turkey
sent a signed text of a protocol to the European
Commission on Monday agreeing to extend its customs
agreement with the EU to the 10 countries that
joined the Union last year, including Cyprus.
But Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said this did not
mean that Turkey was extending official recognition
to the Republic of Cyprus.
However EU officials said it amounted to de facto
recognition.
The protocol needed approval by the European Union
council of ministers and the Turkish parliament.
The island has been divided since a Turkish invasion
in 1974.
The Greek-speaking Republic of Cyprus in the south
is internationally recognized, while the Turkish
Republic of North Cyprus, proclaimed in 1983 and
garrisoned by the Turkish army, is recognized only
by Ankara.
AFP
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