Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades welcomed on Sunday the press release issued by the European Commission on the observer status of the break-away regime established in the Turkish-occupied northern areas of Cyprus in the Organisation of Turkic States, noting that what matters most is the international law and the UN Charter.
Anastasiades was invited to comment on the EU’s rejection of the statements made by Turkey about “the acceptance of the so-called internationally not recognized Turkish republic of Northern Cyprus as on observer in the Organisation of Turkic States.”
“What matters most is not the reaction by the Turkish President but the steadfast and positive EU stance, which is a principled position absolutely consistent with the international law and the UN Charter,” Anastasiades said speaking to the press following a memorial service of former President Glafcos Clerides.
“If Mr Erdogan didn’t like it that’s he is own problem. The international law is not interpreted according to the mind of Mr Erdogan,” the President added.
Responding to a comment that the Turkish President will continue efforts over the acceptance of the Turkish occupying regime to the Organisation of Turkic States, Anastasiades said “Ergodan tried to achieve this but he received a reply that the only status under which the illegally occupied area of Cyprus could accepted was that of an entity.”
“Consequently, we react and reactions bear results one of which was the response of the EU and that’s what matters,” he added.
Furthermore, replying to a question over his meeting with the UN envoy Mirsolav Jenca next week, Anastasiades said he will reiterate the efforts exerted since the deadlock at the UN talks in the Swiss resort in Crans Montata in 2017 for the creation of conditions for the resumption of the talks on over a settlement to the Cyprus problem.
He also said he will remind Mr Jenca on the proposed “confidence building measures which could create a conducive environment all these years.”
“Our side has not been idle, there was a firm Turkish position to achieve a long-standing aim of either partitioning Cyprus or the control of the whole of the Republic of Cyprus or a federal Cyprus, if the efforts to achieve a solution would bear fruit,” he added.
Next Thursday, Anastasiades will meet Miroslav Jenca, Assistant UN Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and Americas in the United Nations Department of Political Affairs, who will visit Cyprus as part of the efforts to explore the ground over a resumption of the UN-led talks.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results.
Source: Cyprus News Agency