Turkey condemns EU decision to suspend high-level talks

By Zehra Nur Duz

ANKARA (AA) – The European Council’s decision to suspend high-level talks with Ankara won't affect Turkey’s determination to continue hydrocarbon activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Foreign Ministry said Monday.

Turkey will continue to protect its and Turkish Cypriots' rights and will increase its activities in this aspect, the ministry said in a statement.

This decision shows how prejudiced and biased the European Union is on the Cyprus issue as Turkish Cypriots, who have equal rights to the natural resources of the island, are not mentioned and ignored, it said.

It added that this decision is the latest example of how Greeks and Greek Cypriots abuse EU membership in line with their maximalist positions and how other EU countries become an instrument for carrying out this abuse.

The European Council published a final declaration Monday following a meeting of the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council which was attended by foreign ministers of its member states.

The council said in the statement that in light of "Turkey’s continued and new illegal drilling activities, the Council will suspend negotiations on the Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement and agree not to hold the Association Council and further meetings of the EU-Turkey high-level dialogues for the time being".