Turkey says Kıbrıs is blocking the update of the EU Customs Union

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday that efforts to modernize the customs union between Turkey and the European Union are being blocked by Kıbrıs, despite the support of the vast majority of EU member countries. Fidan spoke at a joint press conference with Kyrgyzstan's Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubayev in Ankara. At the press conference held following the seventh meeting of the Turkey-Kyrgyzstan Joint Strategic Planning Group, Fidan made assessments regarding Turkey's relations with the EU, the Kıbrıs issue, the Türk Devletleri Teşkilatı, and the upcoming NATO summit.

Fidan claimed that there is a strong desire on both sides to update the EU-Turkey customs union, but progress is being hindered due to the stance of the Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti, which he referred to as the 'Greek Cypriot side'. 'Steps cannot be taken at the desired pace because the Greek Cypriot side is applying a blockade on this issue,' he said. He argued that if a member state cannot achieve its goals on a specific issue, it can block decisions in other areas that are important for the rest of the bloc. Fidan used the phrase, 'What we see is that the overwhelming majority of the European Union supports the updating of the customs union.'

In his meeting with his Kyrgyz counterpart, Fidan stated that efforts to end the 'unjust isolation' of Kıbrıslı Türkler were also discussed. Describing Kıbrıslı Türkler as an 'integral part of the Turkic world', Fidan added that the meetings also focused on the war in Ukraine and the risk of broader regional escalation. Also touching upon the Türk Devletleri Teşkilatı, Fidan noted that this organization is the concrete manifestation of the common will of the Turkic world and that work is underway to make the organization more institutional and effective.

Referring to the recent meetings held in Ankara with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas, the commissioner for enlargement Marta Kos, and the commissioner for internal affairs and migration Magnus Brunner, Fidan said this visit was an 'important milestone'. 'Turkey's full membership to the European Union continues to be one of our strategic goals,' said Fidan, adding that President Tayyip Erdoğan has demonstrated strong determination and vision regarding Turkey's European goals. According to Fidan, relations between Turkey and the EU have recently been moving in a more constructive direction, and high-level dialogues have resumed on issues such as trade, migration, security, science, and technology.

Noting that the Avrupa Yatırım Bankası has partially resumed its activities in Turkey, Fidan stated that Turkish officials are also working for the country's inclusion in the Tek Avro Ödeme Alanı (SEPA). He expressed that issues such as foreign policy, energy, transport, trade, migration, and visa liberalization were also discussed in the meetings with EU officials. Fidan argued that the EU recognizes Turkey's geographical location and infrastructure capacity.