We see that the Eastern Mediterranean part of the final declaration of the European Council meeting held yesterday (April 23) was again written with an obsolete understanding of union solidarity.

This part of the declaration is yet another example of the fact that the EU, contrary to the international law and its own acquis, is being exploited by the Greek Cypriot-Greek duo and has become a mouthpiece of their maximalist policies.

The EU should now understand that no result can be achieved with this understanding.

We expect the EU to encourage Greek Cypriots to launch dialogue with the Turkish Cypriots. Likewise, we expect the EU to encourage Greece to start dialogue with Turkey on the Eastern Mediterranean. It should not allow Turkey’s EU membership process to be taken hostage for the sake of Greek Cypriot-Greek duo’s narrow-sighted interests.

As we have expressed before, Turkey will resolutely continue to protect both its own rights and the Turkish Cypriots’ rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.