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Turkey's deputy prime minister said on Friday that Turkey would not join political meetings to be hosted by the Greek Cypriots when the Greek Cypriot administration took over the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU).      

Ali Babacan said Turkey would maintain its relations with the EU in technical level during the Greek Cypriot presidency of the EU.      

"However, we will not join political meetings to be hosted by the Greek Cypriots," Babacan said during a meeting at the U.S. think-tank Atlantic Council in Washington.      

On Euro zone financial crisis, Babacan said European countries should keep their commitments to overcome the financial crisis.      

"2012 will be a test year for the Euro zone," he said.     

Babacan said the inflation in Turkey was slightly over country's expectations, and the current accounts deficit was also high.       "We decided to maintain firm financial policies in order to have a sustainable economic growth," Babacan also said.

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