Newsroom
A Turkish Foreign Ministry statement blamed Nicosia for failed efforts to settle the Cyprus problem while accusing Nicosia of exploiting its membership of the bloc to ensure a negative EU progress report against Turkey.
“Statements with regards to the Cyprus issue within the [Commission’s] report is nothing beyond repeating the EU’s already known views based on wrong premises on the Cyprus issue,” Ankara said.
“These expressions reflect the attitude of the Greek Cypriots which is the basic reason for the failure of the negotiation process and it sets yet another example of the exploitation by the Greek Cypriots of EU membership in its efforts for deadlock,” it added.
The EU report contains a special chapter describing the Cyprus talks.
"Turkey’s commitment and contribution in concrete terms to this comprehensive settlement remains crucial"
"Turkey is expected to actively support the negotiations on a fair, comprehensive and viable settlement of the Cyprus issue within the UN framework, in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and in line with the principles on which the EU is founded".
Brussels said: "Turkey’s commitment and contribution in concrete terms to this comprehensive settlement remains crucial".
The EU report also urged Turkey "to avoid any kind of threat or action directed against a Member State or source of friction or actions that damages good neighbourly relations and the peaceful settlement of disputes".
Turkey said the EU's "distorted understanding reveals that it not only lacks strategical evaluation about the Eastern Mediterranean but also that it does not have the capacity to develop a long-term vision for the region".
European Commissioner Johannes Hahn said on Tuesday Turkey was taking “huge strides away” from the EU as Brussels delivered its harshest criticism yet of what it sees as Ankara’s shift toward authoritarianism.
