President Nicos Anastasiades said Monday Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan brutally offended European values after he suggested his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, needed mental treatment.
In a written statement, Anastasiades condemned Erdogan’s comments as and unethical verbal attack using phraseology that was unacceptable in diplomacy and international practice.
“This assault against the French president by a leader of a country that is a candidate for accession brutally offends European values,” the president said.
Anastasiades said Turkey was challenging France because it dared to defend international law and censure the policy of piracy it was applying in Cyprus, Greece, Syria, Libya, the Caucasus, and in general the eastern Mediterranean.
On Sunday, the Cypriot foreign ministry expressed support for the French president after Erdogan claimed that “the person in charge of France has lost his way and needs a mental check.”
“We strongly condemn the derogatory remarks of the Turkish president made to the president of France,” the foreign ministry said in a tweet, published in French..
“Such language is unacceptable and has no place in diplomacy.”
Disy chief Averof Neophytou also condemned Erdogan’s comments and called on the EU to respond to his provocations.
“The EU must condemn Erdogan’s unacceptable behaviour and make it clear at the next summit in December, as he is violating every principle of the law,” Neophytou said from the House on Monday.
“The question that should concern everyone is whether Turkey is a country that can hope to be part of the EU in the near future.”
At the same time, he also called on Cyprus to remain committed to finding a solution based on the framework agreed with the UN Secretary General, “so that the responsibility for abandoning the dialogue falls on the other side.”
The French leader this month declared war on “Islamist separatism”, which he believes is taking over some Muslim communities in France.
On October 16, a schoolteacher was beheaded in Paris by an Islamist militant, avenging the use of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in a class on freedom of expression.
Macron’s office said on Saturday France had gathered its European partners, who share France’s demand that Turkey puts a stop to its “dangerous adventures” in the Mediterranean and in the region.
It said Erdogan had two months to respond or face measures, noting the absence of a condolence message from Turkey’s leader after the history teacher’s death last week.
