DIPLOMACY: Ireland tells Turkey to stay out of Cyprus and Syria

Ireland President Michael Higgins called on Turkey to seek the negotiating approach in Cyprus and to stop its military offensive in Syria which is causing a humanitarian crisis.

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Higgins addressing a special plenary session of the Cyprus parliament expressed deep concern at what is happening in northern Syria, and the unilateral intervention by Turkey in that region.

“Allow me to reiterate here my call on Turkey to seek an alternative, negotiated approach, one that rejects military intervention and its resulting humanitarian distress, and one that rejects the coercion or forced returns of refugees”.

He discussed with President Nicos Anastasiades earlier this week his concern over the recent arrival of Turkish drilling and prospecting offshore.

“I reiterate Ireland’s view that matters of maritime, and activities at sea, should be undertaken within the framework of international law and any argument on these matters should be settled through negotiations undertaken in that context.”

He pointed out that Cyprus and Ireland both suffered the impact of the global financial crisis and, in the case of both countries, emergence from those difficult times is largely owing to their resilience.

“It is clear now that, as a direct result of the blunt impositions and handling of the crisis, social cohesion has been significantly damaged across our Union.”

Higgins aid Ireland and Cyprus are both committed members of the EU, supporters of a social Europe, while at the geographical fringes of Europe, they are both now at the heart of the European discourse.