Ankara has slammed the European Union for criticizing the Organization of Turkic States’ decision to admit Turkish Cyprus as an observer member.
“Türkiye fully rejects the statement made by EU External Action Service today [on Nov. 12] on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ (TRNC) observer status in the Organization of Turkic States,” read a statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry late on Nov. 12.
The Organization of Turkic States announced that it approved the observer status for Turkish Cyprus at a leaders’ summit last week.
The EU rejected the decision and statements made by Türkiye on the issue in a written statement on Nov. 12. “This decision, pending ratification of Organization’s members, is regrettable and is contradicting the fact that several members of the organization expressed strong support to the principle of territorial integrity and the U.N. Charter,” it stated.
“The EU has made it repeatedly clear, including at the highest political level, that the EU recognizes only the Republic of Cyprus as a subject of international law, in accordance with the respective U.N. Security Council Resolutions.”
The Turkish ministry recalled that Turkish Cypriots are an inseparable part of the Turkic world, and it is their natural right to establish and develop relations with the Turkic States in every field.
hurriyetdailynews.com