Minister of Foreign Affairs Markos Kyprianou noted on Friday that ''Cyprus is one of the few genuine supporters of Turkey's European prospects,'' adding however that it is ''one of the strictest supporters who are not prepared to compromise the principles and values that the EU is founded upon just for the sake of a speedier accession of our neighbour.''
In a speech at a European Rim Policy and Investment Council (ERPIC) meeting, read out by head of the Middle East and Africa Directorate Ambassador Michalis Stavrinos, Kyprianou said ''Turkey needs to solve urgently the Cyprus problem in a just and fair way, in order to be typically and on merits considered as a candidate for full membership, fulfilling all necessary objective criteria.''
''In no unclear terms, Turkey needs to resolve the Cyprus problem if its European aspirations are to be realised. It needs to remove its 40,000 occupation troops and cease its efforts to demographically change the northern part of the island,'' he added.
Kyprianou pointed out that ''it is true that Turkey is making, in certain areas, significant progress towards meeting in EU requirements,'' adding however that ''holistic progress cannot be achieved without fully normalising its relations with an EU member state, Cyprus.''
''It is exactly the hope that these principles will turn Turkey into a law-abiding state that encourages us to support such an approach,'' he said.
He noted that ''the US and the EU partners in this respect have a moral obligation to apply the necessary political pressures to Turkey in order for the latter to behave accordingly, if they really want to assist their own strategic choice to successfully promote Turkey's EU membership.''
The meeting, which is attended by academics from abroad, is separated into three parts. Friday's session includes an analysis of the Cyprus problem from an historic and strategic point of view. The other two sessions will be held on October 23 and November 27.
Cyprus, which joined the EU in 2004, has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.
