Cyprus peace process

Turkish Cypriot leader on Jan. 21 said diplomatic methods should be used extensively in a bid to counter growing tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Mustafa Akıncı's remarks came at the International Science Diplomacy Forum held in the capital Lefkoşa where he commented on the discovery of natural gas in the region and diplomatic ties with neighbors.

The United Nations envoy to Cyprus warned on Jan. 20 of "growing skepticism" among the island's population that recent diplomatic efforts between the rival communities will herald a comprehensive peace deal.

The Turkish Cyprus Foreign Ministry has described the EastMed Pipeline Project agreement signed by the Greek Cyprus, Israel and Greece as the latest hostile and provocative attempt to exclude the Turkish Cypriot people and Turkey from the energy equation in the region.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo postponed a planned trip to Central Asia and Cyprus to deal with the ongoing developments out of Baghdad, the State Department announced on Jan. 1.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is planning a visit to Cyprus in early January as he returns from a trip to Asia, according to Turkish Cypriot media.

Pompeo will meet with Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı.

Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersin Tatar has said that Turkish Cypriots have repeatedly reached out to explore energy resources together with Greek Cypriots, but that the Greek Cypriot side has never accepted these proposals.

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades expressed disappointment on Monday after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Ankara will not negotiate a peace settlement for the island unless the issue of political equality between Greek and Turkish Cypriots is first clarified. 

Cyprus hopes to restart reunification talks that fell apart in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana, the island country's Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said in an interview with Kathimerini on Sunday, adding however that a fresh round of negotiations can only take place after a Turkish commitment to refrain from "violations and provocations" in the region.

The UN secretary-general said that desire for a settlement on Cyprus continued to prevail among both nations on the divided island, but that trust remains low.

Turkey could suspend its EU accession process if the EU pressure and threaten it with sanctions over the situation in Cyprus, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said, quoted by RIA Novosti.