Ataturk’s legacy sparks row between Greek Cypriots, Turkey

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The withdrawal of a book from Greek Cypriot high school classes over a disputed reference to modern Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk has triggered a war of words between Turkey and the ethnically-split island nation’s education ministry. The Greek Cypriot Education Ministry this week pulled the book used to teach Grade 11 English because it said it was too effusive in its praise of Ataturk. It said his legacy was marred by “crimes against entire peoples.” The Turkish Foreign Ministry said it “reveals the radical level of the distorted mentality” of Greek Cypriots. Cyprus was split along ethnic lines in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup by supporters of union with Greece.