The Turkish Foreign Ministry has said that the conclusions of the EU General Affairs Council meeting repeat Greece’s and the Greek Cypriot administration’s unlawful and maximalist policies, turning a blind eye to the legitimate concerns of Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

Reacting to the conclusions, the ministry said, “We would like to reiterate that the EU’s continued role as the mouthpiece of the Greek Cypriot side and its failure to take into account the inherent rights of the Turkish Cypriot people remain the primary impediment to a resolution on the island,” the ministry said.

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has welcomed the European Union’s reinstatement of High-Level Economic Dialogue meetings with Türkiye and the bloc’s recognition of the efforts to de-escalate tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean and more, while rejecting some of the assessments made at a recent meeting.

In a statement, the ministry said the EU General Affairs Council meeting’s conclusions on Türkiye’s status as an EU candidate and key role represented a realistic approach.

“In particular, we welcome the reinstatement of the High-Level Economic Dialogue meetings and the resumption of the activities of the European Investment Bank in Türkiye,” the ministry said.

It continued by saying that Türkiye considers the bloc’s recognition of its efforts to de-escalate Eastern Mediterranean tensions and Ankara’s initiatives to de-escalate the Russia-Ukraine War, as “accurate observations.”

Meanwhile, the ministry rejected the bloc’s evaluations of Türkiye’s internal politics, saying that they reflect a single-sided and biased perspective.

It also pointed out that the conclusions of the council repeat Greece’s and the Greek Cypriot administration’s unlawful and maximalist policies, turning a blind eye to the legitimate concerns of Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

“We would like to reiterate that the EU’s continued role as the mouthpiece of the Greek Cypriot side and its failure to take into account the inherent rights of the Turkish Cypriot people remain the primary impediment to a resolution on the island,” the ministry said.

Reiterating Ankara’s goal to become a member of the EU, the ministry said the EU needs to present a “new vision that would strengthen” Türkiye’s membership prospect.

“In this regard, we expect that the conclusions of the European Council of 15 July 2019, which restrict the relations between Türkiye and the EU, will be completely revoked,” the ministry added.

The ministry also suggested that holding High-Level Dialogue meetings in the fields of politics, energy and transport would strengthen dialogue and cooperation between Türkiye and the bloc in 2025.