Archive
28 May Briefing Read full brief

Brussels rebukes Ankara over Cyprus exclusion from COP31 as Israel reviews its Istanbul consulate

The European Commission called Turkey's exclusion of Cyprus from informal COP31 preparatory meetings -- Ankara hosts the climate summit in Antalya in November -- "unacceptable." EU climate chief Wopke Hoekstra told POLITICO: "You deal with all of the 27, or none of the 27." Israel weighed spending up to $6 million to relocate its Istanbul consulate after the building failed an earthquake-resilience inspection and is slated for demolition. Off Turkey's northern Black Sea coast, Ukrainian sea drones struck three Russian shadow-fleet tankers and Ankara dispatched coast-guard vessels.

Turkey

Recent events

2
Filter
tr88

EU rebukes Turkey for freezing Cyprus out of COP31 preparation as Ankara prepares to host the November summit in Antalya

The European Commission on Thursday called Turkey's exclusion of Cyprus from preparatory meetings for the COP31 climate summit -- which Ankara will host in Antalya in November -- "unacceptable," with EU climate chief Wopke Hoekstra warning the Turkish government that "you deal with all of the 27, or none of the 27." Turkey is also refusing or ignoring bilateral meeting requests from Cyprus, which currently represents all 27 EU governments as holder of the bloc's rotating Council presidency in the first half of this year. Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said "Türkiye has assured us that Cyprus would not be excluded from future preparatory meetings," though Ankara maintains no diplomatic relations with the Republic of Cyprus and is the only government worldwide to recognise the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north.

Show summary

The European Commission on Thursday called Turkey's exclusion of Cyprus from preparatory meetings for the COP31 climate summit -- which Ankara will host in Antalya in November -- "unacceptable," with EU climate chief Wopke Hoekstra warning the Turkish government that "you deal with all of the 27, or none of the 27." Turkey is also refusing or ignoring bilateral meeting requests from Cyprus, which currently represents all 27 EU governments as holder of the bloc's rotating Council presidency in the first half of this year. Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said "Türkiye has assured us that Cyprus would not be excluded from future preparatory meetings," though Ankara maintains no diplomatic relations with the Republic of Cyprus and is the only government worldwide to recognise the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north.

tr65

Israel may need $6m to relocate Istanbul consulate after earthquake safety failure

Israel is considering whether to spend up to $6 million to relocate its consulate in Istanbul after the building failed an earthquake resilience inspection and is set to be demolished. The consulate has been partially closed since Israel withdrew diplomatic staff from Turkey in October 2023 over security concerns. No decision has been taken, and sources say the government currently lacks the budget for such a move.

Show summary

Israel is considering whether to spend up to $6 million to relocate its consulate in Istanbul after the building failed an earthquake resilience inspection and is set to be demolished. The consulate has been partially closed since Israel withdrew diplomatic staff from Turkey in October 2023 over security concerns. No decision has been taken, and sources say the government currently lacks the budget for such a move.

Frequently Asked

4
Why did Brussels rebuke Turkey over COP31?
The European Commission called Turkey's exclusion of Cyprus from informal COP31 preparatory meetings unacceptable, as Cyprus holds the EU's rotating Council presidency and represents all 27 EU governments.
What did the EU climate chief say about Cyprus's exclusion?
Wopke Hoekstra told POLITICO: 'This is unacceptable, and we will also not accept it. You deal with all of the 27, or none of the 27.'
Is Israel relocating its consulate in Istanbul?
Israel is weighing whether to spend up to $6 million to relocate its Istanbul consulate after the current building failed an earthquake-resilience inspection and is slated for demolition.
What happened off Turkey's Black Sea coast on Thursday?
Ukrainian sea drones struck three tankers linked to Russia's shadow fleet: the Palau-flagged James II, and Sierra Leone-flagged Altura and Velora. No casualties were reported.