CYPRUS: Reunification would be a ‘game-changer’ for EU and East Med

Solving the Cyprus issue would be a game-changer for the European Union, the entire East Med region and the island’s energy search, said EU security chief Federica Mogherini.

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She told the European Parliament that the bloc had come together to show solidarity with Cyprus as in the case of approving sanctions against Turkey for its illegal drilling operations in the island’s EEZ.

"If the sovereignty of one of our Member States is violated, as it is the case at this moment with Turkish drilling activities, the rest of the EU has to come together and not only show solidarity but also act in solidarity with Cyprus.”

Mogherini said the legal framework is now established so that Member States can present names of individuals and entities involved in Turkey’s illegal drilling so further steps can be taken.

"What I want to stress is this – sanctions and the framework of introducing sanctions, is an instrument to put pressure and to try and provoke a change,” Mogherini told the EP.

She added: “The objective here is to change the attitude, stop the drillings, and – I am surprised not many of you did not underline this – try to help the UN finding what would be the real solution, the settlement of the Cyprus issue.”

"A united Cyprus inside the European Union. This would be the game-changer, not only for the drilling activities but also for Cyprus itself and the European Union and the entire region."

Mogherini said Brussels continues to view at the UN-backed peace process as the “real solution for this issue”.

"We have discussed this with our Turkish counterpart several times, including at my level, in the recent months, that these activities go in the opposite direction…this is an additional reason why we want to see them stop.”

Cypriot leaders will meet with the UN secretary general in Berlin on 25 November in a move to find consensus on resuming talks after 28 months of inertia.