"We once again call on all EU members, and in particular Italy, to abandon an approach that ignores the rights of Turkish Cypriots". The Turkish Foreign Ministry writes this in a press release, referring to a "unfortunate Italian ”statement. In a telephone conversation between the Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio and the Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, was expressed "Italy's concern for the presence of Turkish ships engaged in unauthorized drilling activities south of the Exclusive Economic Zone of Cyprus, where there is the presence of Eni exploration sites".
On Wednesday the foreign ministers of Italy and Cyprus, Luigi Di Maio and Nicos Christodoulides, met in Rome to discuss their excellent bilateral relations, the Libyan crisis, migration, the latest developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and related issues to energy. Recalling the conclusions of the European Council of October and December 2019, we read in a note from the Farnesina, Italy reaffirmed its full solidarity with Cyprus on Turkey's continuing illegal drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, in complete disregard of the sovereignty of Cyprus and its sovereign rights.
Libya
At stake these days is the reiteration of the Italy-Libya agreement which will go into effect in two days and will cover naval vessels, coast guard training, money and medical aid for three years. An agreement that will also benefit from financial aid from the European Union. The the Italian government will ask for greater protection of migrants, respect for human rights and the fight against irregular immigration. The point is to know with whom Italy will have to dialogue, given the political weakness of the president of the provisional government al Serraj. The Italian interest is, however, to sign the agreement to have a minimum adherence with the African country since it is now a land of conquest by Russia, Turkey and France.
Meanwhile, the situation in Libya has become no longer sustainable. Yesterday, UNHCR announced that it had to suspend its operational work at the Gathering and Departure Facility (Gdf), because it fears "for the safety and protection of the people in the facility" "We had to make a very painful but inevitable decision - explained spokeswoman Carlotta Sami: we had managed to open a structure for refugees to be evacuated from Libya, but we suspend activities because a police camp has been built next door and could become a military target.».
UNHCR has begun transferring dozens of refugees who have already been identified for resettlement or evacuation to third countries. And this journey towards more protected areas also includes «capproximately 400 asylum seekers who had left the Tajoura detention center after being hit by airstrikes last July and about 300 asylum seekers from the Abu Salim detention center».
Many violations of the truce recorded in the last hours. Tripoli announces that it has shot down a Russian Orlan-type drone used by General Khalifa Haftar's army. And the spokesman for General Haftar, Major Ahmed Al-Mismari, commented: "On Tuesday 28 January a ship carrying Turkish weapons and armored vehicles is docked in the port of Tripoli».
UN special envoy Ghassan Salamè will see Haftar in the coming days. The UN Security Council made it clear that the aim of the meeting is to urge the sending of members of the Joint military commission in Geneva, where a meeting with counterparties designated by the Tripoli government is expected.