Saturday, April 8, 2017

Cyprus Solons Mend Law on Union with Greece; Lets Greek-Turkish Reunification Talks Resume

Lawmakers in ethnically divided Cyprus have amended a controversial law about a commemoration in Greek Cypriot schools that angered breakaway Turkish Cypriots and led to reunification talks breaking off, the Yahoo News website reports today (April 8, 2017).


The amendment -- which gives the education minister full discretion over such commemorations -- was passed yesterday by a vote of 30-20 with the support from the two largest Greek Cypriot parties. The move clears the way for peace talks to resume on April 11 after a near two-month break.


The law had made the brief schoolroom commemoration of a 1950 referendum for Cyprus's union with Greece mandatory.


Turkish Cypriots saw it as a deviation from the stated goal of reunifying the island as a federation -- a goal that may soon become a reality.

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