Çavuşoğlu: Cyprus solution “is an opportunity not to be missed”

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has said that finding a settlement on the Cyprus issue “is an opportunity not to be missed”. He added that “the TRNC has a clear stance for a fair and lasting solution.”

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, who is in Madrid for an official visit, was speaking at a conference organized by the Real Elcano think tank.

Mentioning the Cyprus negotiation process, Çavuşoğlu said, “A failure regarding the negotiation process is beside the point, and we still have hope that a solution will be reached. It is important that our experts continue to work side by side.”

Touching upon Turkey’s EU membership process, Çavuşoğlu said, “Turkey’s request for EU membership is not a personal but a strategic choice. We want to be a full member of the EU, but if the EU does not want us, it has to make a decision and be honest with us. We have not changed  our minds.” Çavuşoğlu called on the European Union to clarify its position on his country’s membership.