Enlargement Conclusions approved by the EU General Affairs Council once again demonstrated that the EU is approaching enlargement from a membership solidarity context rather than adopting a strategic perspective.

The relevant paragraphs of the Conclusions ignore that Türkiye is a negotiating country for EU accession, also deny and even mispresent the significance of Türkiye both for the EU and for regional peace, stability and prosperity. These conclusions, which display a new example of abusing the EU for narrow-minded and selfish interests of certain member states, not only keep us off the goal of creating a positive and constructive agenda, but also do not contribute to Türkiye-EU relations and neither serve the greater interests of Europe. We observe with astonishment that the EU is adopting these conclusions not as a Union of principles and values, but rather as a bargaining interest group.

On Eastern Mediterranean and the Cyprus issue, the Conclusions are detached from reality, one-sided and inconsistent, reflecting the maximalist attitude of Greek Cypriot-Greek duo, as always. Disregarding the Turkish Cypriots once again, these conclusions turn a blind eye to the escalatory and recently revived unilateral acts of Greece and the Greek Cypriots in the Eastern Mediterranean. As long as it maintains this position, it is not possible for the EU to make a constructive contribution to the Cyprus issue. Taking this opportunity, we invite the EU, once again, to acknowledge the realities on the Island, and to end its policy of ignoring the Turkish Cypriots and their inherent rights.

Türkiye has the will to develop its relations with the EU through a concrete and positive agenda based on the accession perspective. However, such fanciful and ideological policies, based on the membership solidarity certainly will not serve the interest of Türkiye-EU relations. We call on the EU to abandon its strategic blindness.