Ozgurgun: Turkey’s decision to lift the visa requirement for all EU citizens is not tantamount to recognizing the Republic of Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (04.05.16) reports that Turkey’s decision to conditionally lift the visa requirement for the citizens of all EU member states has created a “bomb effect” in both sides of the Republic of Cyprus. Commenting on the issue in statements to illegal Bayrak television, Huseyin Ozgurgun, self-styled prime minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the island, has alleged that Turkey’s decision is not tantamount to recognizing the Republic of Cyprus.
Ozgurgun claimed: “This issue is on the agenda for a very long time and now it was decided. It would be wrong to create the perception that with this decision ‘Turkey is recognizing the south’. These are rights mutually recognized for the citizens within the framework of an agreement between Turkey and the member states. […] For recognizing a country establishing diplomatic relations with that country and the mutual opening of embassies is needed. There is no such decision here”.