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Defence Minister will brief EU counterparts on developments in EEZ

26/08/2019 16:21

Defence Minister Savvas Angelides is expected to brief his EU counterparts on developments in Cyprus` Exclusive Economic Zone.

Angelides travels to Helsinki to take part in an informal EU Council meeting which takes place between August 28 and 29 and is also expected to have bilateral meetings with a number of his counterparts and visit the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats.

The Defence Minister, who will have bilateral meetings with a number of his counterparts in the context of the Council informal meeting will brief EU ministers on recent developments in the Republic of Cyprus` Exclusive Economic Zone and will discuss with them matters to do with defence cooperation, a Press and Information Office (PIO) press release says.

Together with Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Christodoulides, Angellides will visit the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats. Cyprus is an active member of the intergovernmental think tank since December 2018, the press release adds.

The centre, it notes, acts as a hub of expertise, so that member states can share best practices, build on skills and try out new ideas in developing their defence to hybrid threats.

During the informal council meetings, EU ministers will have a working dinner during which they will discuss opportunities and challenges posed by artificial intelligence and the use of new technologies in the defence sector.
 
During their working meeting they will discuss the impact of climate change on security and defence and the EU`s coordinated presence and contribution to marine security.
 
The informal meeting will conclude with a meeting between Defence Ministers and Foreign Affairs Ministers during which, among other things,  the latest developments in the area of hybrid threats will be presented.
 
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied its northern third.
 
Turkey announced its intention to start drilling off Cyprus and sent on 4 May 2019 the Turkish drill ship “Fatih”, which remains anchored 36 nautical miles west of Akamas peninsula, in an area that falls within the EEZ and continental shelf of the Republic of Cyprus. A second Turkish drill ship, “Yavuz”, arrived off the island’s north-eastern coast on 8 July 2019.
 
In response, EU Foreign Ministers endorsed on 15 July 2019 measures concerning Turkey’s illegal drilling in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Cyprus. In accordance with the 20 June 2019 European Council conclusions, Foreign Ministers also invited the High Representative and the European Commission to continue working on options for targeted measures in light of Turkey’s continued drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean.