Turkey’s admission to the European Union (EU), though of high importance, “is not so important for Turkey to sacrifice Cyprus for the sake of it,” Egemen Bağış, State Minister and Head of the Turkish delegation at the negotiations for Turkey’s admission to the EU, stated, commenting on the report on Turkey approved by the European Parliament’s General Assembly.

He said that the report contains favorable wordings concerning the process of Turkey’s admission to the EU. On the other hand, he was critical of the part of the report dealing with the Cypriot settlement process.

Bağış stressed that Turkey views the Cypriot problem as its national problem.

According to him, Turkish servicemen maintain peace and stability in Cyprus. Bağış pointed out that Turkey is not going to withdraw its troops from the island now.

The Turkish State Minister said that Turkey has always been supporting the negotiation process.

NEWS.am reminds the readers that in its resolution the European Parliament demanded that Turkey withdraw its troops from Cyprus. The European Parliament group unanimously approved the report. They stressed that the Turkish Government must create a favorable climate at the negotiations by immediately withdrawing its troops from the northern sector. The resolution also stresses that Turkey’s unwillingness to meet all the points of the protocol may have serious consequences for Turkey’s admission to the EU.

T.P.