President Anastasiades said he hopes for positive developments regarding decisions on Turkey

President Anastasiades said he hoped that there will be positive developments regarding the decisions as far as Turkey is concerned.

President Anastasiades was invited by reporters to comment on the conclusions of the General Affairs Council as regards to Turkey, noting it is a positive development. “I hope that we will have relevant results at the European Council”, he added, ahead of his Brussels trip on Wednesday to attend the Council session.

The General Affairs Council which convened on Tuesday in Luxemburg, adopted enlargement conclusions on Turkey, inviting the European Commission (EC) and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to submit "options for appropriate measures" against Turkey "without delay", due to the candidate`s country refusal to conform with international law and EU calls for restrain with regard to its illegal drilling in Cyprus’ EEZ.

Asked if he is optimistic, the President replied that “after the decisions and conclusions of the General Affairs Council and everything we achieved at the MED7 summit, I believe there will be a positive development as far as decisions are concerned”. However, he said he did not believe the same as far as Turkey’s behaviour is concerned which, he described as “out of control”.

Leaders of the southern EU member states, who met in Valletta, on Friday, in the context of a MED7 Summit, expressed both in the Valletta Declaration and their statements their support and solidarity towards the Republic of Cyprus and its sovereign rights within its Exclusive Economic Zone and over the situation with Turkey’s illegal actions in it.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Last month Turkey issued a navigational telex, announcing its intention to start drilling off Cyprus until September 3.

Since May 4, the Turkish drill ship “Fatih”, accompanied by three service ships, is located almost 40 nautical miles west of the Akamas peninsula and 83 nautical miles from the Turkish coast. The area falls within the EEZ and continental shelf of the Republic of Cyprus.