QA-76, 13 December 2019, Statement of the Spokesperson of Ministry of the Foreign Affairs, Mr. Hami Aksoy, in Response to a Question Regarding Statements Made by European Council on Turkey

European Council, with this decision, has once again shown that, it continues under a pretext of union solidarity to act as the mouthpiece of Greek and Greek Cypriot's unjust and maximalist national claims which are contrary to international law and the principle of equity.

As previously stated, the EU does not have any jurisdiction over the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas. Likewise, the EU is not an international court and thus cannot adjudge the legality of a memorandum duly signed between Turkey and the Government of National Accord-State of Libya.

It was the EU that remained silent in 2003, 2007 and 2010 when the Greek Cypriot side, without any authority, concluded delimitation agreements with the countries in the region in violation of the rights of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots. The EU acted as if the Greek Cypriot Side was a normal state representing the whole island. It was again the EU that collaborated in the usurpation by Greece of Libya’s continental shelf rights. The attitude yet again adopted by the EU is another example of the policy of double-standards that the EU pursues.

This attitude will not succeed in dissuading us from defending the rights and interests of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots in the Eastern Mediterranean.