European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Thursday cited Cyprus among a number of issues facing Turkey’s candidacy to join the EU.

Speaking to Turkey’s Anadolu Agency ahead of a visit to Turkey, she said both Turkey and the EU are “interested in a stable and secure environment in the eastern Mediterranean” and share a mutual interest in Syria.

She added that both the EU and Turkey “share the interest that this country develops in the right direction”, and that both countries can “work with” the ongoing ceasefire in Gaza.

“At the same time, of course, we have the candidate country status. Turkey remains a candidate country, but this process is at a standstill, and there are remaining issues in line with the 27 member states that we have. Of course, the issue about Cyprus, human rights, the rule of law, fundamental rights, are the issues that we need to discuss,” she said.

Friday will be Kallas’ first visit to Turkey since replacing Josep Borrell at the beginning of last month, with Borrell having expressed disappointment regarding Turkey’s current stance on the Cyprus problem in his final report on the country’s EU candidacy.

“Turkey has continued to refuse to recognise and cooperate with the Republic of Cyprus,” he began, adding that the country “has not removed all obstacles to the free movement of goods, including restrictions on direct transport links with the Republic of Cyprus.”

He criticised Turkey’s current support for a two-state solution to the Cyprus problem, adding, “the EU remains fully committed to the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue within the framework of the United Nations,” that being a bizonal, bicommunal federation.

Turkey’s public support for a two-state solution to the Cyprus problem has not softened in the early part of this year, with the country’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan having visited Cyprus on January 8.

Then, he said Cyprus “needs to continue on its path with a two-state solution”, and asked why, if East Timor and South Sudan can break away from Indonesia and Sudan respectively and gain international recognition, why northern Cyprus cannot do the same.

Later the same day, he said there is “nothing Cyprus cannot do” after a two-state solution “when the two states come together”.

“This island has enormous economic potential, energy potential, but unfortunately, political deadlock is holding the societies back. The only solution to overcome this political deadlock is to codify the existing reality and create a new relationship between the south and Turkey, and between the north and the world, through a two-state solution,” he said.