Ankara, Turkey. Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz rejected a European Parliament resolution on rape and sexual violence committed during Turkey’s 1974 invasion of Cyprus, describing it as legally and morally unfounded.
He said the resolution had no force and accused the European Parliament of acting under the influence of Greek Cypriot lobbies.
Turkey rejects resolution
Speaking after a Turkish cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Yilmaz said Ankara rejected the resolution in the most categorical manner. He said alleged influence from Greek Cypriot lobbies had undermined the European Parliament’s impartiality and credibility.
Yilmaz also said the European Union had lost its ability to approach the Cyprus issue objectively after admitting Cyprus as a member state.
European Parliament call
The European Parliament adopted the resolution last week. It called for recognition of rape and sexual violence suffered by women and girls during the 1974 invasion, increased support for survivors and the preservation of historical testimony.
The resolution also called for accountability for conflict-related sexual violence and reaffirmed that such crimes must not be forgotten.
Yilmaz defends intervention
Yilmaz repeated Ankara’s position that Turkey’s 1974 military operation was a peace operation undertaken under its rights as a guarantor power.
He said those seeking to assign historical responsibility should remember the coup and the atrocities of Eoka, and argued that Turkey’s intervention had brought peace and security to Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots.
Yilmaz also said that without the 1974 invasion, Cyprus could have faced a humanitarian tragedy comparable to what is unfolding in Gaza.
Gaza criticism
Yilmaz accused the European Parliament of failing to show sufficient concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza while adopting what he described as a politically motivated resolution on Cyprus.
“Those who do not demonstrate the required sensitivity towards such crimes cannot make politically motivated decisions on the Cyprus issue,” he said.
