Violation of Turkey’s obligations concerns EU, says Cypriot spokesman

Turkey’s obligation to implement the customs union protocol is a collective obligation against the EU and the violation of its obligations does not concern solely Cyprus, said today Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides.

Invited to comment on statements made by Turkey’s Minister of State, responsible for Cyprus affairs, Abdullatif Sener that his country will not open airports or ports to Cyprus, the Spokesman underlined that there is a clear provision in the EU counterstatement to Turkey’s declaration that it does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus, that Turkey is obliged to implement its customs union and its non-implementation will affect its accession negotiations.

Invited to comment on Ankara’s efforts for the Turkish National Assembly to ratify the protocol together with the Turkish declaration, the Cypriot spokesman expressed the hope that Turkey will not do so, because it would be another “violation of its international obligations”.

The counterstatement is articulate as far as the EU’s intentions are concerned, the spokesman said, adding, “any violation of the obligations undertaken by a state, either based on the government’s actions or any other internal action that will prevent the implementation of the international agreement, means violation of international obligations”.