House President Yiannakis Omirou has condemned the escalating Turkish intransigence on the Cyprus problem, expressing his pessimism over the outcome of the talks aiming to solve the problem, due to the long-standing Turkish intransigent stance, which does not allow any substantive progress to be achieved. According to an official press release, speaking before a delegation of personalities from Greece, the United Kingdom, France, Poland and Slovenia who participated at the Morphou municipality anti-occupation rally held on Sunday, Omirou informed his interlocutors about the latest developments in the negotiations on the Cyprus problem, expressing his pessimism for their final outcome due to the Turkish intransigence.

He noted that this intransigence was expressed both in recent statements by Turkish Premier Recep Tayip Erdogan who said that Cypriot occupied territories, including Morphou, will not be returned to their legal inhabitants, and by the recent Turkish threats launched in view of the fact that gas exploration has started in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), on the basis of its sovereign rights, deriving from the international law.

Furthermore Omirou referred to Turkey’s EU accession course, noting that statements by Turkish officials concerning suspension of Turkey’s relations with the EU during the EU-Cypriot Presidency in the second half of 2012, are completely in contrast with its status as an EU candidate member state. He underlined that Turkey must comply with the obligations it has undertaken towards the EU and Cyprus for recognizing the Republic of Cyprus, implementing the Ankara protocol and showing a spirit of cooperation for solving the Cyprus problem.