Interpol lead on Turkey-Cyprus cooperation

INTERPOL President Jackie Selebi has suggested a tripartite meeting between Cyprus, Turkey and Interpol to discuss the problems arising from Ankara’s refusal to cooperate with Nicosia, a proposal that has already been accepted by the Cypriot Police.

The suggestion came after the Chief of Police and senior officers participated in Interpol’s 74th General Assembly in Berlin last week, which was attended by delegates from 154 countries.

The refusal of the Ankara Interpol National Bureau to cooperate with Nicosia was brought up by the Cyprus police with a letter of protest to the President and General Secretary of Interpol, the Director of Europol, as well as all the Interpol member states.

At the initiative of the Interpol General Secretariat, separate meetings with the Cypriot and Turkish delegations were held with Selebi, who accepted the Cypriot positions in full and suggested that a tripartite meeting be held in Lyon, in order to resolve the issue. The proposal was unreservedly accepted by the Cypriot delegation.

Selebi told the Cyprus police chief that the Turkish delegation did not oppose the idea but said it would await the invitation, which the Interpol President will be sending soon.

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