The European Union and international community are on high alert a week before Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visits the occupied north of Cyprus to join the ‘anniversary celebrations’ of its 1974 invasion of the island on July 20.
EU High Representative Josep Borrell expressed concern over Turkey’s potential opening of Varosha, during a press conference at the conclusion of the Foreign Affairs Council on Monday.
Borrell reiterated that the entire Foreign Affairs Council unanimously rejected Turkey’s two-state solution, noting that the EU was "united" and calling on Turkey "to refrain from provocative actions".
"Let us hope that in the coming days we will not have to convene an extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council," said Josep Borrell.
During the presser, Borrell also referred to the migration crisis at the Lithuanian-Belarusian border calling "the use of migrants as a weapon" unacceptable, and noted that there were reports that something similar was happening on the border with Poland.
"We are closely monitoring the situation on the Lithuanian border with Belarus," said Josep Borrell, stressing that the EU was urging the Belarussian authorities "to abide by their international commitments and obligations."
The EU has taken a number of restrictive measures and is ready for further assessment, the EU High Representative said.
