Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sunday said that the admittance of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) as an observer state to the Organisation of Turkic States was an important development and that the EU’s views on the matter were not important.

“What the European Union says, how the European Union looks at it, none of this concerns us. How we look at it is important,” Erdoğan said.

Commenting on the issue during a press conference in Istanbul before his departure for Indonesia to attend the G-20 summit, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that the admittance of the TRNC into the Organisation of Turkic States was an important development, particularly after the reactions that came from Europe and a statement by the EU referring to a federal solution.

“We will continue to take such steps that promote the statehood of the TRNC. The construction of the presidential complex and new parliament building in the TRNC are part of these steps,” he said.

Erdoğan also said that the EU’s views on the matter were insignificant and irrelevant.

“What the European Union says, how the European Union looks at it, none of this concerns us. How we look at it is important,” he told reporters, pointing out that he had raised the issue earlier during his address at the UN General Assembly.

“My speech at the UN is a turning point. The process is continuing,” he said.