Turkey's Foreign Ministry spokesman Öncü Keçeli has sharply criticized the Republic of Cyprus and the European Union, accusing Cyprus of exploiting its rotating EU Presidency to push a "distorted" narrative on the Cyprus issue, while claiming the EU has failed to act as a neutral or constructive player in efforts to resolve the long-standing conflict.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Keçeli rejected the use of terms such as "occupation," "invasion," and "division" in speeches delivered at the January 7, 2026, event marking Cyprus's assumption of the EU Council Presidency—officially referring to it as the "Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus."
"These terms are in no way compatible with the historical and current reality on the island," he stated.
Keçeli argued that the true "occupation" on Cyprus originated in 1963, when, in Turkey's view, the Greek Cypriot side usurped the institutions of the bi-communal state established under the 1960 Constitution, violating the rights of the Turkish Cypriot community.
He further accused EU officials of showing "contempt" for the existence of Turkish Cypriots, exposing what he called the bloc's "double standards" on core humanitarian values.
Additionally, Keçeli claimed that Cyprus—despite public commitments to the contrary—has from the outset abused its Presidency role to advance "distorted rhetoric and incompatible positions" on the Cyprus problem, underscoring why the EU cannot serve as an impartial actor in settlement talks.
Cyprus Assumes Presidency of the European Union
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