Fule calls on Turkey to stop 'threatening' Greek Cyprus

The European Union’s enlargement commissioner, Stefan Füle, has urged EU membership candidate country Turkey to stop issuing “threats” against EU-member Greek Cyprus over Cypriot efforts to drill for natural gas in the Mediterranean. “The EU urges Turkey to refrain from any kind of threat, sources of friction or action, which could negatively affect good neighbourly relations and the peaceful settlement of border disputes,” Maja Kocijancic, the commission’s spokesperson for enlargement, told Europolitics, an online European affairs daily, on behalf of Füle on Wednesday. According to Europolitics, Füle also appealed to all parties concerned to “exercise restraint,” especially ahead of the crucial phase of the Cyprus reunification talks this autumn, while encouraging them to “do their utmost to ensure a positive climate that will facilitate a successful completion of the process.”