Egemen Bagis: Turkey not to give up Cyprus even for EU membership

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis said that Turkey will not give up Cyprus for the EU membership and will not give up EU for Cyprus.

Noting that both the EU membership and resolution of Cyprus problem are fair and legally grounded demands, Bagis said: “We will continue clarifying these matters, in which we have a fair stance, unless the entire world conceives them.”

Bagis added that it is necessary to agree that there are two states on the island. “A decision, which is not based on political equality, will be accepted neither by the Turkish people in Cyprus, nor by us, their guarantors,” he said.

Asked by a member of the Turkey-European Union Mixed Parliamentary Commission what Turkey will lose if Turkish servicemen leave Cyprus, Bagis said: “We are afraid of the losses that had happened until 1974. We do not want the fraternal people of Cyprus to occur in seas of blood again. Sometimes, protest actions can be held, we may have discrepancies, but let nobody be gladdened by it. Nobody can spoil the relations between us and our brothers – Cypriot Turks. Let nobody count on it,” TRT-Russian quoted Bagis as saying.