Turkey

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called upon Greek and Turkish Cypriots to resolve their differences before July 1, when Cyprus takes over the rotating European Union presidency, in a letter published Tuesday. This would pave the way for an international

Turkey on Wednesday has allowed Russia to construct South Stream gas pipeline under the Black Sea. At the beginning of December Russia and Turkey discussed many energy issues, including the South Stream project. Ankara was delaying the construction permit in its territorial waters.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced a raft of political and military sanctions after French lawmakers adopted a bill criminalising denial of Armenian genocide. Turkey will recall its ambassador from Paris and suspend mutual political visits as well as joint military projects, including joint exercises, said Erdogan.

The Security Council today decided to extend the United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus until 19 July 2012, and called on the leadership of the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot communities to accelerate the pace of talks aimed at reunification. 

French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Tuesday addressed Turkey’s bid to join the EU by saying that the organization “must first unite the European family”. “Removing reservations” toward Turkey’s European perspective would not make Europe’s tasks easier in the current crisis, he was quoted as saying.

Romanian President Traian Basescu has said the EU needs to send positive signals to Turkey, stressing that the EU candidate country brings an important contribution to the EU’s wider neighborhood, including the Middle East and North Africa. “Turkey brings an important contribution and is an important actor in the union’s …

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov on the margins of the OSCE Ministerial Council Meeting in Vilnius held bilateral meetings with the British and Georgian foreign ministers. The meeting with British Foreign Secretary William Hague discussed the current state

Construction on the Bulgaria-Turkey gas interconnection could start as early as next year, Bulgarian Minister for Economy, Energy and Tourism Traicho Traikov has said. Minister Traikov was speaking after an energy conference in Sofia today.

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden will travel on Sunday to Athens, where he will deliver symbolically important support to Greece’s new Prime Minister Lucas Papademos. He will also meet with President Karolos Papoulias and the leaders of the two largest Greek political parties. Biden is expected to discuss Cyprus and …

Turkey offered to bow to EU demands and open its ports, airports and airspace to Greek Cyprus under what it called a “Taiwanese-style” diplomatic arrangement to help drive Cyprus reunification talks resuming on Monday under UN pressure for a breakthrough.