Provocative statements by NATO Secretary-General

 

Statement by Costas Christodoulides, Head of the International and European Affairs Department and member of the C.C. of AKEL

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 13th October 2014, Nicosia

During his visit to Turkey on 9th October, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg praised Turkey’s contribution to “collective security and stability in the region”.

These statements are provocative, especially when they are made just a few days after the unilateral announcement by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs informing of Turkey’s illegal binding of part of the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus for explorations.

As AKEL, we reiterate that Turkish foreign policy is not just a force of stabilisation, but is in practice expansionist, violating International Law many times.

NATO’s stand is also provocative and unacceptable, which compliments Turkey’s foreign policy precisely because it serves the NATO Alliance’s interests in other ways. Once again, justice is being sacrificed for the sake of overriding imperialist designs.

What is the Government of the Republic of Cyprus’ view on NATO’s positions, as published on NATO’s official website? Is this another “success” of the Government’s foreign policy which indeed wants us to become a member of NATO, undermining traditional relations with Member States of the UN Security Council?

What are the positions of the other parties, some of which have taken a positive stand on the Government’s intention to join Programmes of NATO?