Ankara condemns EU’s stance on partial opening of Varosha

Turkey on July 27 dismissed remarks made by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on the partial reopening of the Varosha region in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as being worthless for Turkey.

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"These and similar statements, which ignore the Turkish Cypriot people, are disconnected from the facts and reflect only the views of the Greek Cypriot side, have no value or provision from our point of view," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tanju Bilgiç.

"It is also impossible for this biased EU position, put forward under the pretext of membership solidarity and veto concern, to contribute to the solution of any problem," he stated.

"Our support for the proposals of the TRNC authorities and all the decisions they have taken on the solution of the Cyprus issue and the opening of Varosha are complete," the statement said.

Saying that the decision to partially reopen Varosha belongs to the Turkish Cypriot government, Bilgiç stressed: "After the Annan plan (failure) in 2004, the EU was obliged to keep its promises to the Turkish Cypriot people and learn to take the TRNC as an interlocutor."

In 2004 referendums on both sides of the island, Greek Cypriots rejected the U.N. plan to resolve the island's issues while the Turkish Cypriots accepted it. Turkey says the EU broke promises it made before the vote, including lifting the blockade from Turkish Cyprus.

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Using the Greek name for Varosha, Borrell said earlier on Twitter that the "EU strongly condemns Turkey's unilateral steps and unacceptable announcements on the further reopening of the fenced-off town of Varosha. We call for the immediate reversal of these actions and of all steps taken on Varosha since October 2020."

Reopening of...