Hakan Fidan: We believe that the UN has lost its neutrality

Regarding the tension on the Pile-Yiğitler highway between the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and the United Nations Peacekeeping Force (BMBG), Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said: “The buildup sudden movement of UN vehicles into the disputed area, which the UN describes as the ‘Buffer Zone’ and the TRNC as its own territory. Frankly, it’s not something we welcome. We believe that with this move, the UN has lost its neutrality.”

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel at the ministry. Fidan and Gabriel held a joint press conference after the meetings.

Responding to the question about the tension regarding the construction of the Pile-Yiğitler highway in the TRNC, Fidan said, “As Turkey, we support the TRNC to the fullest in all fields. We are working with all our might for worldwide recognition of the just struggle of the Turkish Cypriots. Unfortunately, recent events have shown once again how some of the UN practices on the Island do not really comply with the founding spirit of the UN. A road construction project for the village of Yiğitler was always on the agenda to deliver necessary humanitarian aid to the Turkish community. The path traveled towards the Greek population in Pile has never been the object of UN condemnation and obstruction. However, when the same thing happens to the Turkish side, we see that the UN officials on the island have abandoned their role as UN officials and have taken serious steps to prevent this humanitarian highway project aggressively. Unfortunately, on the 18th of the month, undesirable events occurred, ”he said.

Pointing out that there is a lack of coordination between the civilian and military elements of the UN in Cyprus, Fidan said: “Because there have been ongoing negotiations regarding the construction of this road for a long time, especially between the civilian representative and the authorities of TRNC. . They were informed when the construction of this road would begin. Despite this, the sudden accumulation of UN vehicles in the disputed region, which the UN defines as the ‘Buffer Zone’ and the TRNC as its own territory, is obviously not an attitude we welcome. We believe that with this move, the UN has lost its neutrality. Our work on this will continue. We fully support the TRNC’s legitimate position on this issue.”

CALL FOR EUROPEAN LEADERS

Regarding Turkey’s membership process in the European Union (EU), Minister Fidan said: “Our expectation from the EU is to reconsider its attitudes hardened in previous years. We attach importance to the fact that Turkey handles the EU accession process on two points. It is about meeting rational criteria and conditions. Türkiye has taken very important steps in this regard for many years. The event took on a political color, the process of rational evaluation of the EU criteria was suspended and the process of political evaluation began. The fact that Central European countries use the EU issue as political material in their internal policies has led Turkey to view EU membership as a matter of identity politics rather than a rational one. By underlining this theme and recalling the initiative again, Mr. President offers new opportunities for both the EU and our region. “I recommend that European leaders seize the new window of opportunity before it closes,” he said. (DHA)