Czech FM scolds Turkey over Cyprus EU stance

FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE

In a terse statement aimed at Turkey, the Czech First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel Schwarzenberg has said that no country from outside the European Union can intermingle in it or proclaim conditions for another member state.

Turkey has declared that it will not participate in any EU session when Cyprus is hosting the presidency, which begins on July 1.

Schwarzenberg was speaking after meeting his Cypriot counterpart, Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, when they examined issues concerning the EU and the forthcoming presidency of the European Council.

In her remarks, Marcoullis warmly welcomed the FM of the Czech Republic, noting “that with the Czech Republic we have longstanding and very strong bonds of friendship and cooperation on a number of issues and in many fields”.

As members of the EU, she said, that joined together on the 1st May 2004, “we have embarked on this very important membership in the EU in the family of the EU”, noting the Czech republic already had a very successful presidency and Cyprus is now preparing for its own presidency of the Council of the EU in less than two months.

“We discussed today all these issues, our bilateral relations and how we can make this relationship even stronger in some new fields of cooperation”, she added.

Marcoullis said they also discussed regional issues, issues that are being examined in the Foreign Affairs Council, particularly the Southern Neighbourhood and the situation in the countries of the Arab Spring. She briefed her colleague on Cyprus’ preparations for the EU and discussed the Cyprus issue.

Concluding, Marcoullis said “we look forward to much stronger and closer cooperation”.

In his remarks, Schwarzenberg congratulated Marcoullis who will be at the helm of the Presidency, noting it “will be a very exciting experience. I am sure that she will manage it very well”.

He said the Czech Republic will respond to the Cyprus presidency, for whatever it is needed and is ready to offer its experiences.

Referring to Turkey’s reaction to Cyprus assuming the presidency of the European Council, Schwarzenberg said “we are very disappointed that a neighbouring country of Cyprus, instead of using the chance of a country which expressively says that it wishes to become a member of the EU, instead of using this in its own ambition to become a member of the EU, evidently, it acts in the wrong way to the Cyprus presidency”.

He stressed “I can assure one thing that the EU and its member states won’t let blackmail by anybody in the world. We have a member state and the member states are entitled to the presidency – STOP. You see nobody from outside can intermingle in it or proclaim conditions and I hope that Turkey will understand that the Cyprus presidency is a chance for Turkey, much more than anything else”.

Concluding, he said “I hope very much that Cyprus will be successful in its projects of extracting gas and oil in its territorial waters”.

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