EU ministers meeting with Fidan ‘positive’

Cyprus has evaluated as positive the unofficial EU foreign affairs council meeting with Turkey’s participation, the government spokesman said on Friday.

Speaking to CyBC, Konstantinos Letymbiotis said Nicosia was satisfied by the results of the meeting, and for the position maintained by most countries.

He added that Nicosia was also satisfied with some of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s references, which distanced themselves from the hardline rhetoric used by Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar.

Letymbiotis said that most member states sent the message that EU-Turkey relations cannot be unrelated to the Cyprus issue.

“We are satisfied, because the majority of the member states sent strong and clear messages,” he said.

And Letymbiotis said that although Fidan proposed the decoupling of Euro-Turkish relations from the Cyprus problem, he did so in a mild manner.

Letymbiotis also mentioned that Fidan did not discuss “two-states” when talking about the Cyprus issue, which has been a peg for Tatar. He also did not discuss Tatar’s three demands to restart talks, Letymbiotis added.

The demands are direct trade with the north, direct flights, and direct diplomatic relations.

He concluded by saying that Nicosia continues to support Turkey’s European path, always based on specific conditions, and given the link with the Cyprus problem.

Earlier Cyprus’ Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos had rejected Fidan’s comment that Turkish Cypriots are isolated, and instead countered with the fact that Turkey has been occupying Cyprus’ territory for 50 years.

Speaking after the unofficial EU foreign affairs council meeting on Thursday, Fidan said: “We believe that the revitalisation of Turkey-EU relations is in the interest of all. However, we stressed that linking the Cyprus problem with Turkey-EU relations is not a healthy method and will not yield results.”

Turkey’s top diplomat said EU membership is a strategic goal of Ankara, adding that President Tayyip Erdogan has also clearly expressed this wish.

“We want to go forward with a positive agenda. If the EU demonstrates a positive approach in the same way, it will be in everyone’s interest,” he said.

Fidan also discussed the visa liberalisation issue for Turkish citizens wishing to enter Schengen area countries.

He said that it is a priority for Ankara to meet the criteria for visa liberalisation and that so far, they have met 66 criteria, and are working on the remaining six.

“Until the visa liberalisation is achieved, we continue to work to eliminate the difficulties and obstacles our citizens face in the Schengen visa application process. We are continuing our contacts with the EU and Member States on the extension of multiple entry and long-stay visas,” he said.

Fidan said that the two-hour meeting was a positive development and important in rejuvenating relations with the EU.

Fidan and his Greek counterpart Giorgos Gerapetritis also held a face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the informal council.

Greece’s top diplomat pointed out to Fidan the need to restart negotiations on the Cyprus problem in the framework of UN Security Council decisions, as well as utilising the opportunity presented by the improvement of Greco-Turkish relations.