Speaking at a parliamentary group meeting of the ruling Justice and Development Party, Erdogan evaluated progress made in recent months to find a solution to the Cyprus stalemate.

Commenting on EU ministers' confirmation of an EU commission recommendation to partially freeze membership talks with Turkey, Erdogan harshly criticized the bloc regarding the latest sanctions.

Erdogan was careful to assert that in spite of Turkey's "extraordinary" efforts to solve the Cyprus deadlock, EU-Turkey relations were passing a through a very serious test.

"All the reforms undertaken so far have all been for the well-being and prosperity of our people," said Erdogan.

"Our European friends accept that they haven't fulfilled some of their promises. Turkey signed the protocol with the expectation the isolations on Turkish Cyprus would be lifted," said the prime minister.

Erdogan was very clear in his assertion that Ankara had in fact never given a written proposal for a solution.

He asserted that his administration's latest "verbal" efforts to find a path in Cyprus were in complete harmony with basic state policies.

Erdogan stressed that any steps taken by Ankara on Cyprus were contingent on reciprocal steps from the EU towards Turkish Cyprus.