EP president calls on Turkey to stop unacceptable actions in Varosha

Turkey must stop its unacceptable actions in Varosha and return the area to its rightful owners, President of the European Parliament David Sassoli said on Sunday.

In an interview with Phileleftheros, he also said Turkey’s one-sided actions could increase tension in the area and called for them to stop.

He reminded Ankara that the European Parliament would not hesitate to use the measures it has at its disposal to ensure international justice.

Turkey often follows a combative and hostile policy, he underlined, especially towards Cyprus and Greece, which is unacceptable.

The worsening of the situation is continually being reported by the European parliament and it will continue to do so whenever it thinks necessary, Sassoli said.

European-Turkish relations have reached a historic low, Sassoli said an for there to be an improvement Ankara must make progress on issues such as human rights and the Eastern Mediterreanean.

Meanwhile efforts are continuing in Nicosia to overturn Turkish moves and to create the circumstances for a restart of negotiations on the Cyprus problem, Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said.

We mustn’t lose sight of the bigger picture, that Turkey is trying to change the basis for a solution to the Cyprus problem, he said.

The issue of Varosha, he said, needs to hold international attention so international tools can be used to create the conditions needed to restart talks.

He said he considers “the recent reaction of the Security Council, but also from the EU side, sends a clear message, strengthens our argument to continue working in the direction I mentioned above.”