The Greek Foreign Ministry denounced recent statements by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who questioned the legitimacy of the Cyprus flag, accusing it of misrepresenting the whole island when it should only be portraying the south part.
“Without shame they go to the EU meetings with a flag that depicts the whole island. You cannot have such a flag. You are the Greek Cypriot administration of Southern Cyprus. To the north is the Turkish republic. That’s rude. In any case, they will understand this”, Erdogan was quoted as saying.
Attempts by Turkey to equate the victim with the aggressor in Cyprus is ‘historically groundless’ and “arbitrary”, the spokesman of the foreign ministry Stratos Efthimiou on the matter.
“Once again, the Turkish leadership is trying to equate the aggressor with the victim by making historically groundless and arbitrary arguments that attempt to erase Turkey's responsibilities as an occupying power,” Efthimiou told Greek media.
The Turkish president also criticized the voting of the European Parliament to freeze accession talks with Turkey and called it “harassment.”
Erdogan said Turkey has been waiting for an answer from the EU for over 50 years, and said the EU is not the only fish in the sea.
“We have not closed the EU subject yet. But the picture we have faced does not allow us to fall for positive expectations on this subject. There are always many alternatives before Turkey. We would continue our way by considering one of these options,” Erdogan said.
