Egypt backs federal peace deal for ethnically spit Cyprus

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Egypt’s foreign minister has rebuffed a Turkish push for a two-state peace deal on ethnically divided Cyprus. The Egyptian minister said Tuesday that any talks should adhere to a U.N.-backed road map reunifying the east Mediterranean island nation as a federation. The diplomat said after talks with his Cypriot counterpart on Tuesday that regional challenges need to be countered based on internationally law instead of “aggressive activities or expansionist tendencies.” The Egyptian minister’s remarks indirectly targeted Turkey which Cyprus accuses of supporting a peace deal that would serve its policy goal of exerting its control over the east Mediterranean. Cyprus was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup aiming at union with Greece.