Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 07-08-17

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] CYPRUS FM - TURKISH FM - STATEMENT

[01] CYPRUS FM - TURKISH FM - STATEMENT

Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou Marcoullis, responding to a statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on earlier critical remarks she had made about the Turkish military, has pointed out that Turkey is the factor of instability and illegality in the region of the Eastern Mediterranean and described the Foreign Ministry in Ankara as a mouthpiece of the deep state.

I regret that the Turkish General was troubled by my statements but I would like to assure him that I shall continue to speak out the language of the truth about the responsibility of the Turkish military, she said in a written statement.

In an interview with the Turkish TV network NTV earlier this week, Marcoullis was very critical of the continuing military occupation of Cyprus northern areas and pointed out that political remarks by Turkeys Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit had taken Turkey 100 years back.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry responded today with claims that the Cypriot Foreign Minister is not in a position to comment on Turkeys domestic affairs nor is she in a position to assess the situation.

It also called on the international community to ignore what he described as provocative and irresponsible statements by Marcoullis.

I am pleased to see that the message I had sent, through NTV aimed at General Buyukanit, has finally reached its destination. I did not expect that what I had said would please him. Many times the truth is bitter, Marcoullis said in her written statement.

The Turkish army, she noted, continues to occupy territory of the European Union and has a responsibility for the continuing massive violations of human rights in Cyprus, a reality that certainly takes Turkey back 100 years.

Such behaviour is not fitting to the 20th century and even more so to the 21st century and it is definitely not European behaviour, she said of Turkey, which is engaged in membership talks to join the European Union.

On the statement of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, she had this to say: this was only to be expected since the Ministry has always been a mouthpiece of the deep state.

The Republic of Cyprus, which Turkey does not recognize, exists and has every right to speak out, to judge and criticize anybody it considers responsible for the largest tragedy that has hit our island and our people, Marcoullis added.

We have not compromised and we shall not compromise with the occupation, no matter how many threats Turkey levels against us, she stressed, noting that Cyprus foreign policy is founded on the UN Charter and international law in contrast with Ankara which repeatedly violates both sets of rules.

We may be numerically a small country but we are proud people who have survived over the centuries and will survive in spite of any designs. Turkey and not the Republic of Cyprus is the factor of instability and illegality in the region, Marcoullis said, noting that Ankara has been condemned thousands of times by the European Court of Human Rights and other international organizations for its behaviour in Cyprus, in Turkey itself and elsewhere.

Concluding, I would like to point out that the Turkish Foreign Ministry statement does not refute my assessment on the role of the Turkish military in Cyprus but as always it denies us the right to expression and to criticism, tactics which Ankara applies, Marcoullis said.

Turkish troops invaded Cyprus in July 1974 and continue to occupy 37 per cent of the island`s territory, refusing steadfastly to comply with repeated UN calls to withdraw.

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