The European course of Turkey, which illegally retains 35% of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, depends on its political stance on the Cyprus issue, said Andros Karagiannis, Mayor of Deryneia and member of the European Committee of the Regions (ECtP).
In a statement from the Municipality of Deryneia, it is stated that the intervention of Mr. Karagiannis took place at the session of the CIVEX Committee (Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs) of the EEC, held in Brussels on February 6.
Turkey, said the Mayor of Deryneia, "continues to refuse the recognition of the Republic of Cyprus, supporting the two-state solution and ignoring the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council. For 50 years now, Turkey, a candidate country for joining the European Union, has illegally withheld 35% of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, violating the human rights of a member country of the Union since 2004," he said.
As Mr. Karagiannis said, "Turkey's aggression has a serious impact on good neighborly relations with Cyprus and threatens stability and security in the Eastern Mediterranean. Turkey's European path depends on its political stance in Cyprus, since the occupying army continues unabated with fortification projects, provocations and violations, both near the dead zone and in the airspace and maritime zone of Cyprus," he noted.
The Mayor of Deryneia also pointed out to the members of the EEtP that "Turkey continues to veto Cyprus' applications for membership in several international organizations. At the same time, he also referred to the ongoing efforts to open the closed city of Varosia, with the support of the illegal regime in the occupied territories".
Andros Karagiannis "also called on the European Union to contribute to the overall settlement of the Cyprus issue, within the specific framework of the United Nations, for the reunification of Cyprus for the benefit of the two Communities on the island".
Source: KYPE