The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that it does not accept “at all linking progress in relations between Turkey and the European Union to the Cyprus issue.”

This came in a statement issued by the Ministry regarding the results of the European Union leaders’ summit on April 17 and 18 in the Belgian capital, Brussels.

The Ministry considered the decisions adopted regarding Turkey to be “a new example of the European Union’s lack of strategic vision regarding Turkey and global developments.”

It noted that the results of the summit stressed that establishing a relationship of cooperation and mutual benefit with Türkiye is a strategic interest of the European Union.

It said: “On the other hand, the failure to take concrete decisions regarding the recommendations contained in the joint report on relations between the European Union and Turkey prepared by the Vice-President of the European Commission, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, and the European Commission is a major contradiction.”

It added: “Linking the Cyprus issue to progress in relations between Turkey and the European Union will never be acceptable to us, and the approach that limits the multifaceted relations between Turkey and the European Union to the Cyprus issue must be abandoned.”

It stressed that “such a mentality cannot make a positive and constructive contribution to resolving the Cyprus issue or other regional and global issues.”

It stressed that Turkey is still determined to join the European Union, adding: “However, we refuse to limit our cooperation to certain areas through a selective approach, and we will discuss our dialogue with the European Union within the framework of reciprocity according to the speed, level and scope of the Union’s steps towards Turkey in the coming period.” .

The European Union announced that it has a strategic interest in developing a mutually beneficial cooperation relationship with Turkey, and that it “attaches great importance” to the resumption of Cyprus negotiations in this context.

This came in the part related to relations with Turkey in the final statement of the European Union summit held on Wednesday in the Belgian capital, Brussels.

“The European Union has a strategic interest in developing a stable and secure environment in the Eastern Mediterranean and developing a mutually beneficial cooperation relationship with Turkey,” the statement stated.

It pointed out that “Turkey’s constructive participation will be useful in advancing the various areas of cooperation identified in the joint report submitted by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, with the European Union Commission in November 2023.”

The statement stressed, “Attributing great importance to the resumption and progress of the Cyprus negotiations, which could also lead to improving cooperation between the European Union and Turkey.”

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European Council President Charles Michel said that the European Union agreed to establish “positive and stable” relations with Turkey.

This came in statements to journalists on Wednesday at the conclusion of the sessions of the first day of the European Union summit held in the Belgian capital, Brussels.

Michel noted that European Union leaders wanted to hold a strategic discussion on relations with Turkey and that they reached a consensus at the end of the session.

He continued: “We want to establish positive relations with Turkey and develop stable relations. We want to work in a gradual and proportionate approach.”

Regarding Cyprus, Michel stressed that the situation on the island is very important.

He added: “We are particularly concerned with the situation in Cyprus, especially with regard to the solution path conducted by the United Nations.”

Since 1974, the island of Cyprus has been divided between two parts: the Turkish in the north and the Roman in the south. In 2004, the Greek Cypriots rejected a plan presented by the United Nations to unify the two parts of the island.

Since the collapse of the UN-sponsored Cyprus reunification talks in Switzerland in July 2017, no formal UN-brokered negotiations have taken place to settle the conflict on the island.​​​​​​

On Wednesday, the European Union announced in the final statement of the summit that it has a strategic interest in developing a stable and safe environment in the eastern Mediterranean and developing a mutually beneficial cooperation relationship with Turkey.

The statement stressed, “Attributing great importance to the resumption and progress of the Cyprus negotiations, which could also lead to improving cooperation between the European Union and Turkey.”

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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stressed to his American counterpart, Anthony Blinken, the necessity of declaring a complete and immediate ceasefire in Gaza, against which Israel has been waging war since last October 7.

This came during the two ministers’ discussions in Ankara on Monday, according to Turkish diplomatic sources, during which they discussed regional developments, particularly the latest developments in the situation in Gaza and bilateral relations.

During the meeting, Fidan stressed to his American counterpart the necessity of “preventing Israel’s targeting of civilians and their displacement in Gaza and declaring a complete and immediate ceasefire.”

During the meeting in which views were exchanged on Gaza, the two sides confirmed that they agreed on the need to ensure that no harm was caused to civilians and that humanitarian aid was delivered continuously and without interruption.

The source said regarding the meeting: “Turkey and the United States agree on the need not to harm civilians in Gaza and to deliver humanitarian aid.”

The source reported that during today’s meeting in Ankara between Fidan and Blinken, “the necessity of working together for a two-state solution was also emphasized.”

During the discussions, the Turkish Foreign Minister assured his American counterpart that bombing civilian targets and destroying infrastructure in Gaza was “unacceptable.”

On another level, during the meeting that took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara, the two ministers discussed the NATO expansion process within the framework of Sweden’s membership and bilateral and regional issues.

It is noteworthy that the bilateral and expanded discussions between the two sides lasted about two and a half hours, and after the talks, Blinken left Turkey.

Blinken’s visit to Turkey comes after a Middle Eastern tour that he began with a visit to Israel.

During his tour with his counterparts in Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, Blinken discussed the Israeli war on Gaza.

He also went to the West Bank with a surprise visit, during which he met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, followed by a visit to Greek Cyprus, where he met with its head of administration, Nikos Christodoulides.

Later, the American Minister visited the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, during which he discussed with Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani the situation in Gaza.

After Ankara, Blinken is expected to head to Tokyo, Seoul, and New Delhi.

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On Sunday, the Greek Cypriot administration appealed to the countries of the region to combat a fire that broke out again in a forest near the village of Alasa, Limassol district.

According to news circulating in the Romanian media, a fire broke out again in a forest near the village of Alasa, which broke out on Thursday and was extinguished.

Operations are continuing by land and air to extinguish the fire, which has expanded due to the wind and is now threatening nearby residential areas.

Government spokesman Konstantinos Limpiotis said that the Foreign Ministry had contacted Israel, Lebanon, Egypt and Greece to request help.

He pointed out that the 3 helicopters that Jordan sent to the region are actively participating in fighting the fire.

He stated that investigations are underway into the reasons for the renewed outbreak of the fire after it was extinguished.

It is noteworthy that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, mediated by the United Nations, after the outbreak of the fire on Friday, August 5, offered assistance to the administration of southern Greek Cyprus, which expressed its thanks to the Turkish side and indicated that there was no need for assistance because the fire had been extinguished.

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The Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned on Sunday the signing of an agreement with the Greek Cypriot Southern Administration by the National Guard of the US state of New Jersey.

In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry pointed out that the US Department of Defense included the Greek Cypriot administration in the State Partnership Program for the National Guard Office last October.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the signing of an agreement between the New Jersey State National Guard and the Ministry of Defense in the Greek Cypriot administration within the framework of the aforementioned program.

It said, “By lifting the arms embargo on the administration of southern Greek Cyprus in 2022, the United States upset the balance on the island of Cyprus against the Turkish Cypriots. These recent steps encourage the Greek side to arm.”

The State Department called on the United States to review its policy, which does not serve the stability of the region in any way, and to contribute to finding a just, lasting and sustainable solution to the Cyprus issue.

And it said, “We hope that the Rumi side will realize that it is absolutely impossible for a hand to extend an ill hand towards the Turkish Cypriots, where Turkey is the motherland and the guarantor state.”

It stressed that Turkey will continue to take all necessary steps to ensure the security of the Turkish Cypriot people.

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Monday denied the news circulated in the media of its Greek neighbor about the violation of its airspace by US fighters.

It said in a statement that the news circulating in the media recently, from the Greek Cypriot administration about the violation of the airspace of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus by US fighters, is baseless.

It emphasized that the sources of the Greek Cypriot administration are trying to create meaningless tension by spreading false news about a military issue.

“Our relevant authorities are constantly and closely monitoring all kinds of activities that take place around our airspace,” she added.

It explained that the concerned authorities monitored the aforementioned fighters during their activities and their return to their bases without violating the airspace of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

It indicated that the scenarios that may occur during the ongoing maneuvers in Greek Cyprus have been assessed in advance and the necessary arrangements have been taken.

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US Ambassador to Ankara Jeffrey Flick said Tuesday that his country has not changed its position on the issue of security in the Aegean Sea.

“I was recently asked a question about whether there has been a change in the position of the United States on security in the Aegean Sea, my answer is no,” he said in a statement published by the embassy on its Twitter account.

“Our cooperation in the security field with our NATO allies (Turkey and Greece) does not stem from a biased or unbalanced position towards any partner,” he added.

“Our joint efforts are now focused on ending the brutal and unjustified Russian war in Ukraine,” he continued.

In the statement, Flick noted that Turkey will continue to provide valuable support – particularly by moving food security to an advanced level – and to strengthen dialogue between Ukraine and Russia.

And he added, “Our defense cooperation with Greece strengthens NATO’s eastern flank by supporting Ukraine and our NATO allies in Central and Eastern Europe.”

“The primary goal we share with our NATO allies – Turkey and Greece – is to ensure peace, security and stability in the entire region,” he noted.

Recently, Washington showed support for Greek provocations in the Aegean Sea, lifted the arms embargo imposed on the Greek Cypriot administration, and remained silent about Greece’s violations of the agreements and arming the demilitarized islands in the Aegean Sea.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan affirmed that his country will maintain its firm principled position on the membership of Sweden and Finland in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization “NATO” until they fulfill the pledges made to Ankara.

This came in a speech delivered by Erdogan on Saturday during his participation in the opening of the new legislative year in the Turkish Parliament in the capital, Ankara.

“We will maintain our principled and firm position in this regard (the membership of Sweden and Finland in NATO) until the commitments made to our country are fulfilled,” Erdogan said.

It is noteworthy that a tripartite memorandum was signed between Turkey, Finland and Sweden at the NATO summit held on June 28 in the Spanish capital Madrid, and the first meeting of the permanent joint mechanism was held on August 26 in the Finnish city of Vantaa.

Erdogan added that Turkey is not in a position to make concessions to anyone on the issue of terrorism as a country that has been fighting terrorism for nearly 40 years and has sacrificed tens of thousands of its citizens during its war against terrorism.

He noted that Turkish security operations in northern Iraq and Syria prevented separatist terrorists from moving.

Regarding Greece’s arming of islands in the Aegean Sea, Erdogan said, “Encouraging Greece to arm the islands goes against logic, understanding and the spirit of the alliance, stressing that the policies of incitement and escalation have not and will not be for anyone’s benefit.

He added, “We are well aware of those who unleashed Greece in order to attack us, and we declare at every opportunity that we are aware of the game being played against us, and we advise the Greek government to stay away from provocations that will lead to disaster for it and its people.”

Erdogan called for an end to the isolation and embargo on Turkish Cypriots and for the fulfillment of all promises regarding international recognition and legitimacy that the Turkish Cypriots deserve.

Erdogan expressed his country’s rejection of the US decision to lift the arms embargo imposed on the southern Cypriot administration.

In mid-September, the Turkish Foreign Ministry strongly condemned Washington’s extension of its decision taken in the same month of 2020 to lift the arms embargo to the Greek Cypriot administration for one year during the 2023 fiscal year.

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Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu stressed his country’s determination to arm in response to the US lifting of the arms embargo on Greek Cyprus.

In a statement on Friday, Ertuğruloglu indicated that the armament process would take place with the “motherland” Turkey.

He called on the Rumi side to stay away from steps that would escalate, saying: “The armaments operations in the past turned the island into a lake of blood.”

And yesterday, Thursday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu announced that his country would send more forces to the Turkish Republic of Cyprus to protect the Turks there and provide all the weapons they need.

And in mid-September, the Turkish Foreign Ministry strongly condemned Washington’s extension of its decision taken in the same month of 2020 to lift the arms embargo to the Greek Cypriot administration for a year during the 2023 fiscal year.

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The Turkish Foreign Ministry called on Israel not to be a means of provocations and propaganda for the Greek Cypriot administration after the joint military exercises with it.

In response to a written question about the military maneuvers called (Agapinor 2022) conducted by Greek Cyprus and Israel, Foreign Ministry spokesman Tango Bilgic stressed his repeated call to the countries that participate in Greek Cyprus maneuvers so as not to be a means for their provocations and media propaganda.

He stressed that Turkey should assume its responsibilities as a guarantor state in the Cyprus issue by protecting the interests of the Turkish Republic of Cyprus.

It should be noted that the Greek administration of southern Cyprus conducted joint military exercises with Israel from May 29 to June 2.

The exercises were described as the largest in the history of relations between the two sides.

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