BALIKESIR, March 26 (A.A) - Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on Tuesday, ''Cyprus is not hunchback of Turkey, but it is Turkey's honor.''
Speaking to the ''Radio BRT'' in Balikesir province in Marmara Region where he came to attend a conference on ''Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow of Cyprus'', Eroglu made statements about the Cyprus issue.
Noting that the Turkish public opinion from time to time made wrong assessments about Cyprus, Eroglu criticized making a connection between Cyprus and Turkey's EU membership. Eroglu said that showing Cyprus as a factor which blocks Turkey's path was very upsetting.
''Cyprus is not Turkey's hunchback, but it is Turkey's honor. This is mentioned by both highest officials and our people. However, some Turks say that 'Cyprus issue prevents Turkey's EU membership. The TRNC is a serious burden on Turkey'. It is Greece and Greek Cypriots who created the Cyprus issue. You saw that Cyprus did not constitute an obstacle when Greece entered the EU. And now Greek Cypriots are about to enter the EU and the Cyprus issue is still not an obstacle,'' he said.
Stressing that Turkey was a powerful country, Eroglu said that the TRNC had been founded by Turkey's support and that the two countries would continue to act together.