EU to be 'whole' when all of Cyprus in bloc, says Schulz

The European Union will not be whole until all of Cyprus, the Turkish and Greek administrations together, becomes a part of the bloc, said European Parliament President Martin Schulz during a visit to the Mediterranean island. 

"Europe will not be a whole if there are no Cypriots and this wholeness will be fully reached when all of Cyprus will be part of the European Union," said Schulz on March 29, during an address to the Greek Cypriot parliament. 

"The fate of Cypriots should not be confined to be lost in details anymore," he added. 

He also stated that if the peace talks produced a successful result and reunification was achieved, all Cypriots would benefit from it, in areas varying from political to scientific and cultural issues. 

The island has been divided since 1974 when Turkey intervened into the north in response to an Athens-inspired coup seeking union with Greece. 

United Nations-brokered peace talks to find a peaceful solution to the more than 40-year-long dispute were restarted in May 2015, after Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Ak?nc? was elected the new president of the Turkish Cypriot administration. 

Since then, Ak?nc? and Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades have met multiple times under the guidance of U.N. special envoy for Cyprus Espen Barth Eide to negotiate for a lasting solution on the disputed topics. 

"I would like to present my deepest gratitude to Mr. Anastasiades and Mr. Ak?nc?. The negotiations have been relaunched with their courage," said Schulz. 

Reunification a 'realistic possibility' 

"The reunification of Cyprus has become a realistic possibility; this means that a historic chance can be achieved. Because Cyprus is one territory, Cypriots are one...