On January 9, in the harshest-ever tone, the Cypriot authorities stated that they will never agree to turkey’s membership in the European Union (EU) until the Cyprus problem has been resolved.

Márkos Kyprianoú, Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated that Cyprus will block any attempts by Turkey to join the EU. He thus responded to his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu’s statement that no state should try Ankara’s patience by causing it to choose between the EU and Cyprus.

Cyprus will not have Turkey blackmail it into agreeing to Turkey’s membership in the EU in exchange for the settlement of the Cyprus problem, Márkos Kyprianoú said in response to the Turkish FM’s statement that Ankara seeks to link the Cyprus problem to its membership in the EU.

He stressed Turkey has encountered problems in its negotiations for EU membership. Turkey has to resolve the Cyprus problem if it wants to continue the process.

It is hypocritical on Turkey’s part to speak of international law and, the same time, violate this law by occupying part of a U.N. and EU member-state, Kyprianoú said.