Turkey accuses EU of bowing to Greek Cypriot pressure

TURKEY yesterday accused the European Union of bowing to Greek Cypriot pressure and being hesitant to take bolder steps on the Cyprus stand-off, and said that a solution to the long-running dispute could only be found at the United Nations.

“The EU has once again refrained” from taking steps, Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan told a weekly news conference.

“We don’t accept the EU’s bowing to pressure, especially pressure from Greek Cypriots.” Tan argued that the EU could not provide “the right formula for a comprehensive solution.”

“The place for a comprehensive solution is the United Nations,” Tan said.

The comments came after EU ministers agreed to partially suspend membership talks with Turkey because it refuses to open up to trade with Cyprus.

“It is out of the question for Turkey to take unilateral steps” to open its ports and airports to Cyprus, “unless the isolation of Turkish Cypriots is lifted,” Tan said.

Turkey says the Cyprus dispute must be resolved at the United Nations because the EU cannot be impartial with Cyprus as a member.

“Our stance on this has not changed, and won’t change,” he said.

“We will closely monitor the decision to lift the isolation” of Turkish Cypriots.

Tan also urged the EU to take a broader look at its relations with Turkey and reconsider the country’s strategic importance. (AP)
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The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.