French-Greek Cypriot deal deepens tension

France and Greek Cyprus signed an agreement to facilitate military and defense cooperation, drawing an angry response from Ankara, which said the deal was against relevant international agreements.

Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister George Lillikas and French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie signed the agreement on Wednesday in Paris, the Anatolia news agency, citing Greek Cypriot news reports, said yesterday. The Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the deal was a "worrying development" that could undermine stability and security in the eastern Mediterranean and insisted that the Greek Cypriot administration was not authorized to sign such a deal since it does not represent the entire island. The Foreign Ministry also said the agreement was against UN parameters for a lasting solution in Cyprus and that it would "seriously harm efforts aimed at a comprehensive solution."

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