Turkey and TRNC slams EC report
TURKEY and the TRNC yesterday slammed a European Council report that called the Turkish hydrocarbon activities in the disputed Eastern Mediterranean region “provocative” and claimed that that they breached the “exclusive economic zone” of South Cyprus.
The report, under the heading of “Eastern Mediterranean”, which was published yesterday, also “condemned” Turkey over its “unilateral steps in Varosha [Maraş]”.
The European Council “supports speedy resumption of negotiations, under the auspices of the UN . . . within the UN framework and in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and in line with the principles on which the EU is founded” the report said.
It continued: “Regrettably, Turkey has engaged in unilateral actions and provocations and escalated its rhetoric against the EU, EU Member States and European leaders. Turkish unilateral and provocative activities in the Eastern Mediterranean are still taking place, including in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone.”
It added that the EU “will appoint a representative to the
UN Good Offices Mission”.
The report states that the European Council has asked the “High Representative to take forward the proposal of a multilateral conference on the Eastern Mediterranean”.
It added: “The European Council notes Turkey’s withdrawal of the vessel Oruç Reis and insists on sustained de-escalation so as to allow for the early resumption and smooth continuation of direct exploratory talks between Greece and Turkey.”
The report invites the High
Representative and the Commission to submit a report on the “state of play concerning the EUTurkey political, economic and trade relations” and on “instruments and options on how to proceed. . .for consideration at the latest at the March 2021 European Council”.
The TRNC Presidency responded yesterday by saying: “[The decision by the EU] will not in any way hinder us from determinedly continuing to protect our legitimate rights and interests . . . It is unacceptable for the EU to take this and other similar decisions and not make any reference to and ignore the existence of the Turkish Cypriot people, which also does not conform to the realities.”
The written statement added: “By lending support to a solution model that is not appropriate for the conditions of Cyprus, it is indicative that the EU is in support of the status quo.
“The Turkish Cypriot side has, on many occasions, declared that it will not enter into negotiations from where it was left, and expressed its readiness for an agreement . . . that is based on sovereign equality and on the existence of two states.”
The statement said the report also ignored the fact that it is the “maximalist demands” by South Cyprus and Greece “that are heightening the tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean. . . and the EU has been made a tool for these positions.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the EU leaders’ summit held in Brussels did not get the response expected by some countries, according to Turkey’s Anadolu news agency.
“European Union member states owe Turkey many rights,” Mr Erdoğan told reporters following Friday prayers in İstanbul.
A statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry slammed the EU declaration.
“We reject the biased and unlawful attitude toward [North] Cyprus, the Eastern Mediterranean, Aegean and regional issues in particular, which we know that the majority of the EU does not adopt, but had to be put into the December 10 EU Summit Conclusions due to solidarity and veto pressure,” the statement said.
The EU had “once again ignored Turkish Cypriot people and their will” the ministry statement added.