Ankara hits back at Brussels over Cyprus criticism

While again vowing to step up efforts towards European Union membership, Turkey yesterday expressed disappointment over an EU statement, saying that its wording on the Cyprus issue is at odds with international law. During an annual debate on enlargement held by EU states in Brussels on Tuesday, the bloc expressed "deep regret" about Turkey's continued impasse with EU member Greek Cyprus and pressed Ankara to show improvement "without further delay." In a statement yesterday, the Foreign Ministry pointed to Turkey's "constructive and encouraging stance" to ongoing UN-led direct negotiations between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders. "Yet despite this," continued the statement, the EU text "contains expressions that are incompatible with international law due to the irrational attitude again shown this year by one member state," in reference to Greek Cyprus. "As the place to resolve the Cyprus issue is not in EU Council Enlargement Conclusions but rather in ongoing comprehensive negotiations conducted under the auspices of the UN secretary-general, it is our genuine expectation that our EU member friends strongly support the process," it added.