Turkey Rejects European Parliament's Sanctions

Turkey rejected on Friday a call by the European Parliament to impose sanctions on Ankara over the visit of its President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to northern Cyprus, describing the appeal as "far from reality."

Reuters reported that the European Parliament approved, yesterday, Thursday, a non-binding resolution supporting a request made by Cyprus, a member of the European Union, and urging the leaders of the bloc to "take action and impose severe sanctions" on Turkey, in a move likely to boost support for France's efforts to impose sanctions on Ankara during the European Union summit next month.

Erdogan angered Cyprus on November 15 by visiting Varosha, a fenced-off area deserted as a no-go area since 1974.

Last month, Turkey supported the partial reopening of Varosha, in a move criticized by the United States, Greece and Greek Cypriots.

A spokesman for the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Hami Aksoy, condemned the European Parliament’s decision, describing the parliament as "prejudiced and far from reality."

"If this approach continues and thinking with this mentality, it will be impossible for the European Union bodies to make a constructive contribution to the settlement of the Cyprus issue,” he added.

Cyprus has been pided since a Turkish invasion of the island took place in 1974 after a short military coup at the behest of Greece.

Turkey is the only country that recognizes Northern Cyprus as an independent country, not the Greek Cypriot government in the south, which is the subject of international recognition.