Turks warn of stopping Cyprus negotiations after July 1

Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots are pushing to finish negotiations on Cypriot reunification by July 1 when Greek Cyprus is set to take over the EU Presidency amid growing speculation that the United Nations will propose continued talks after the date. 

Turkish Cypriots might withdraw from or suspend talks if U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calls for Greek and Turkish Cypriots to continue negotiations after July 1.

Following a trilateral summit on Cyprus that was held at the Greentree Estate in New York in January, Ban had said a multilateral conference might be held, depending on the report which the U.N. secretary-general’s special adviser, Alexander Downer, is set to present later this month.