Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu accused the European Union of being biased against his country on the Cyprus issue and Ankara's relations with Athens and Nicosia, saying the union “should actually play a balanced and objective role."

“Instead of making statements or decisions against Turkey, they should find the way to settle this problem and they can be an honest broker,” he was quoted as saying in an interview published by Sputnik on Thursday,

“We proposed to the EU to be an honest broker until this problem is resolved. The EU is obliged to defend the rights of Turkish Cypriots as well, not only Greek Cypriots, but unfortunately they have not been honest, they show double standards and hypocrisy,” he said.

Specifically on the Cyprus issue, Cavusoglu said Turkey has asked he EU and other actors to find a solution to guarantee the rights of the Turkish Cypriots on the hydrocarbon reserves, “which has been denied by every side, including Greek Cypriots.”