Turkey’s deputy prime minister Bulent Arints has criticised the European Union over Cyprus, saying it did not pass its exams on the Cyprus issue.
In a speach in Warsaw, Arints failed to talk about his countries policies on Cyprus, taking refuge behind the 2008 Annan plan, which was rejected by Greek Cypriots a being grossly one-sided in favour of the Turkish side.
Artints said the European Union was wrong in accepting Cyprus as a member after the rejection of the Annan plan.
He also complained that Cyprus has been blocking six of Turkey’s negotiating chapters and also bragged about the economic crisis Cyprus suffered after the 2009 world economic crisis.
Arints said that the Cyprus issue is not simply a political problem and it has to be solved quickly for reasons of energy planning.
Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974, occupying its norther part since then. It has also refused to apply an agreement with the European Union for extending recognition to Cyprus as an EU state.
