Celik: Cyprus talks are ‘over’

In yet another pessimistic statement coming from Ankara, Turkey’s EU Minister Omer Celik said Thursday that the Cyprus settlement talks were “not suspended, nor frozen,” but “over.”

According to the Anadolu news agency, he made his statement following a meeting with the UK’s minister of state for Europe, Sir Alan Duncan, in Turkey.

Celik said that despite the positive attitude displayed by the Turkish side at the reunification talks in Crans-Montana last month, a deal was not reached.

Duncan, who had also attended the talks in Crans-Montana, expressed his sadness at the outcome, adding that the UK is aware “of the constructive and positive approach” of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Speaking Thursday, Cavusoglu said the stance of Greek Cypriots with regard to post-settlement security and guarantees was an excuse, and insisted that they did not really want a solution within the UN parameters.

The Greek Cypriots, he said, did not want to share governance and power, while he added that that the issue of security and guarantees was just an excuse, the Bayrak TV station in the occupied north of the island reported.

Meanwhile, in comments to Turkish state broadcaster TRT, Cavusoglu said that Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots had done their part, by presenting concrete proposals that were rational and constructive.

“We wanted to discuss and conclude the last two chapters, especially territory and also security and guarantees together,” Cavusoglu said, adding that the Greek Cypriots “think that they are an EU member-state and, therefore, they do not want to share governance and power.” He added that Nicosia’s “unilateral drilling activities in Cyprus” were wrong.

“Turkish-Cypriot people also have rights there,” he said.