Turkish Foreign Ministry: EU’s Cyprus Envoy Appointment Is an “Internal Matter

Responding to a question regarding the appointment of Johannes Hahn as the EU’s Special Representative for Cyprus, Keçeli reiterated Turkey’s long-standing position that the EU lost its neutrality on the Cyprus issue after admitting the Greek Cypriot side into the Union in 2004, despite its rejection of the UN Comprehensive Settlement Plan.

Keçeli added that the EU has consistently supported the Greek Cypriot stance and claims, and noted that this partial approach has become more entrenched in recent years. “We have observed that the EU, which has consistently defended the positions and claims of the Greek Cypriot side regarding the Cyprus issue, has further deepened its biased approach,” he said.

He emphasized that Turkey expects the newly appointed representative to encourage the Greek Cypriot side to acknowledge the realities on the island. Keçeli underlined that any future negotiation process should take place not between the two communities, but rather between two states with sovereign equality.