ANKARA

Turkey on Friday slammed the declaration coming from a European Union leaders summit in Brussels, calling it "biased and unlawful." 

In a statement, Turkey's Foreign Ministry said: "We reject the biased and unlawful attitude toward [Northern] Cyprus, the Eastern Mediterranean, Aegean and regional issues in particular, which we know that the majority of the EU does not adopt, but had to be put into December 10 EU Summit Conclusions due to solidarism and veto pressure." 

The declaration passed on Thursday condemned the partial opening of the town of Maras on Cyprus, also known in Greek as Varosha, and argued that UN Security Council resolutions should be respected.

The ministry further stated that the EU decision "once again ignored the Turkish Cypriot people and their will.”

Decrying how "one or two countries' narrow-minded political interests" blocked efforts by many other EU states to put Turkish-EU relations on a positive track, the ministry said: "the EU was unable to break-through from attempts to find restrictive measures with no benefit." 

"Some member countries have placed Turkey and EU into a vicious cycle by abusing their membership solidarism and veto rights for maximalist demands and unfair attitudes," said the statement.

Such attitudes not only harm the common interests of Turkey and the EU but also hurt peace, security and stability in the region, it said.

Turkey again underlined its "readiness" for exploratory talks without preconditions with Greece to establish stability in the region despite Athens’ “provocative moves.” 

Fair solution needed on Cyprus

On the declaration condemning the partial opening of the town of Maras, the ministry said the bloc turned a blind eye to the Turkish Cypriot people and their will and subjected themselves to the imposition of the Greek Cypriot administration on the issues of Cyprus and Maras. 

The ministry urged the EU to end this attitude blocking a fair, permanent, and sustainable facts-based solution to the Cyprus issue, and affirmed Turkey's determination to protect the rights of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots in the Eastern Mediterranean.

"It is a disgrace for the EU that Greece pushes migrants back to the Aegean Sea, and Frontex is an accomplice," added the statement, referring to well-documented incidents of Greece illegally endangering asylum seekers at sea with the collusion of the EU border agency Frontex.

*The ministry called on the EU to "show its sensitivity on migration management not to our country, but to Greece, which systematically practices inhumane treatment on asylum seekers."

Turkey also urged the EU to take on "an honest mediator role" and to "act principled, strategically and sensibly."

Possible sanctions

EU leaders gathered in Brussels on Thursday for two days of discussions of the EU budget and COVID-19 as well as transatlantic ties and relations with Turkey.

The summit also signaled that the EU may increase pressure on Ankara by adding more individuals from Turkey’s energy sector to a sanctions regime created in November 2019.

Currently only two Turkish Petroleum Corporation executives are subject to these sanctions, which consist of assets freezes and European Union travel bans.

Turkey, which has the longest continental coastline in the Eastern Mediterranean, has rejected the maritime boundary claims of Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration, stressing that these excessive claims violate the sovereign rights of both Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots.

Ankara has sent drill ships in recent months to explore for energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean, asserting its rights in the region as well as those of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Turkish leaders have repeatedly stressed that Ankara is in favor of resolving all outstanding problems in the region through international law, good neighborly relations, dialogue and negotiations.