The European Union in an announcement on Saturday rejected statements by Turkey regarding the acceptance of the Turkish Cypriot secessionist entity, as an observer in the Organisation of Turkic States.
“This decision, pending ratification of Organisation’s members, is regrettable and is contradicting the fact that several members of the Organisation expressed strong support to the principle of territorial integrity and the UN Charter,” an announcement by the European External Action Service said.
“The EU has made it repeatedly clear, including at the highest political level, that the EU recognises only the Republic of Cyprus as a subject of international law, in accordance with the respective UN Security Council Resolutions,” it added.
“Any action to facilitate or assist in any way the international recognition of Turkish Cypriot secessionist entity severely damages efforts to create an environment conducive to resuming settlement talks under the auspices of the United Nations.
“The EU is fully committed to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem based on a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality, in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions and in line with the EU acquis and the principles on which the EU is founded. There is no alternative to it,” the European External Action Service stressed.
On Friday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced the alleged admittance of the “TRNC” in the intergovernmental organisation that aims to promote cooperation between Turkic-speaking states.
Cavusoglu wrote on Twitter that everything was developing “step by step,” referring to Ankara’s efforts to achieve international recognition of the breakaway state.
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar also lauded the decision.
However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus and the Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan, who is a member of the OTC, played down the Turkish statements.
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(Update) Uzbek FM denies occupied north was granted observer status in Organisation of Turkic States