The Turkish Foreign Minister was extremely provocative after the outcome of the Summit.
“The allegations about the Greek Cypriot maritime border are excessive and contrary to international law. Achieving a fair sea border in the Eastern Mediterranean is the main pillar of our policy. That is why Turkey, starting with President Erdoğan, has called on the Eastern Mediterranean coastal states for dialogue and co-operation. We sincerely hope that Greece enters into a substantial dialogue,” stressed Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu who adopted a rather critical tone.
According to protothema.gr, in his interview with the Italian newspaper La Stampa, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu referred to the Brussels Summit and the events in the Eastern Mediterranean. When he was asked about the discussions on sanctions to be imposed on Turkey, he stressed: “Don’t you dare to impose sanctions on us.”
In addition, he said that such a step would “have the opposite effect” and would “only strengthen our determination to protect our rights and those of the Turkish Cypriots.” He added that Turkey had fulfilled its refugee commitments; “Irregular migration flows to Europe have been reduced by 92% thanks to our efforts. On the contrary, the EU has not delivered on its commitments,” he pointed out.