The spokesman’s remarks came as he spoke on Kanali 1, a private Greek radio station, on Friday. He said through the referendum results, the Turkish people had sent a message to the government — and the entire political bureaucracy — that they wanted reforms. He also said that a new opportunity to improve Turkish-Greek relations may have presented itself.
Turkish citizens on Sunday approved a number of proposed constitutional amendments that limit the military’s role in politics and restructure the high judiciary in line with the European Union requirements.
The US and the EU welcomed the approval of the constitutional reforms and urged the government to use the results for wider and more comprehensive reforms.
Noting that there were now new conditions in Turkey, Delavekouras said these conditions would help to advance Turkish-Greek relations. “We want to see that Turkey respects international law, its relationship with neighbors and minority rights and take steps for a breakthrough in Cyprus. For this reason, we wish for a Turkey that leans towards Europe,” he said. Speaking about peace talks to reunite divided Cyprus, Delavekouras said Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias’ suggestions for the peaceful solution of the problem were serious recommendations that Turkey should heed.
For progress in Cyprus, the spokesman said, there needed to be a change in Turkey’s behavior. When discussing the hard-line rhetoric of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) President Derviş Eroğlu, Delavekouras said Eroğlu’s agenda signaled pessimism with respect to the solution of the dispute. “This needs to be changed, and Turkey’s role in this is obvious because we must not forget that the Cyprus dispute is an occupation and an invasion problem,” he said.
