Turkish Cyprus on July 13 condemned the European Commission’s appointment of a special representative for the ethnically-divided island, denouncing the move as unilateral, unlawful and politically biased.
The European Commission on July 13 formally appointed Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto as its new special representative for Cyprus, confirming that he will support U.N.-led efforts to reunify the island.
In a statement, the commission said Fitto, in his new capacity, “will contribute to the settlement process under the auspices of the United Nations,” while working closely with U.N. Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar.
The Turkish Cypriot Foreign Ministry, however, rejected the appointment, arguing that it was made unilaterally at the behest of the Greek Cypriot administration and without the consent of the Turkish Cypriot side.
“The appointment of a so-called ‘Special Representative for Cyprus’ and the European Union’s attempt to intervene in the Cyprus issue are absolutely unacceptable from the perspective of the Turkish Cypriot people,” the ministry said.
It described the decision as “a provocative step” taken without the consent of the Turkish Cypriot side and in disregard of the Turkish Cypriot people’s political will, saying it once again exposed the European Union’s partisan approach to the decades-long Cyprus dispute.
The ministry further argued that the EU forfeited its neutrality and credibility on the Cyprus issue when it admitted the Greek Cypriot administration as a member in 2004 despite ignoring the inherent rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot people.
It said the bloc was now reinforcing that same biased approach by appointing a special representative while disregarding the island’s delicate political balance.
The Cyprus dispute has persisted for decades between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots despite numerous U.N.-led efforts to reach a settlement.
