Turkey to stand by northern Cyprus

NICOSIA - The Turkish Foreign Minister, Ms Tansu Ciller, said yesterday that Ankara would back northern Cyprus all the way in…

NICOSIA - The Turkish Foreign Minister, Ms Tansu Ciller, said yesterday that Ankara would back northern Cyprus all the way in its conflict with the Greek Cypriot south, as she attended the funeral here of a Turkish Cypriot soldier.

The soldier was shot dead on Sunday in what Ankara believes was revenge for the deaths of two Greek Cypriot demonstrators last month. Greek Cypriot authorities said yesterday they had proof that Mr Kenan Akin, Agriculture Minister with the Turkish Cypriot administration, was the killers of one of the demonstrators. Mr Akin denied the allegations.