EU rejects observer state status for Turkish-Cypriots

The European Commission condemned Turkey’s statements on the acceptance of the Turkish Cypriot secessionist entity, the so-called,“Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,” as observer state at the Organization of the Turkic States on Friday.

The organization held a summit meeting in Uzbekistan on November 10 and 11 and its member states agreed that Turkish Cypriots should be represented as an observer member in the group.

“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,” European Commission spokesperson Peter Stano said on Saturday.

“The EU has made it repeatedly clear, including at 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,” he continued. “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.”Stano also reiterated the EU’s commitment to a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality. “There is no alternative to it,” he clarified.

Founded in 2009, the Turkic States include Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey and Uzbekistan. Hungary and Turkmenistan are the observer states.

Cyprus was split following a 1974 Turkish invasion triggered by a brief Greek-inspired coup. Since then, Cyprus has been run by the internationally recognized Greek Cypriot administration in the south, while the Turkey-occupied northern part of the island is only recognized by Ankara.