Anastasiades describes Erdogan’s comments to UN as ‘ironic’

President of Cyprus Nikos Anastasiades has spoken of his “deep disappointment” upon hearing the Turkish president claim that he wants “issues in the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean to be solved within the framework of good neighbourly relations and in conformity with international law.”

Addressing the UN General Assembly on Friday, Anastasiadis said it was “ironic” for Recep Tayyip Erdogan “to put forward such a claim, when every day he threatens to overtake Greek islands or when he commits thousands of violations of the airspace of the sovereign and neighbouring country, contrary to international law?”

Erdogan addressed the same assembly on Tuesday.

“How even more provocative is it to express the desire to resolve disputes ‘in conformity with international law,’ when he refuses to implement numerous resolutions of the United Nations on the Cyprus problem and creates new fait accomplis?” said Anastasiades.

Anastasiades reminded the UN that “37% of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member state, remains under military occupation” by Turkey.

“Turkey, which systematically violates international law, calls on the international community to recognize its illegal fait accomplish,” he said.