Cyprus is blocking the adoption of sanctions by the European Union against Belarus, demanding the introduction of similar measures against Turkey. This became known to the source of the Frankfurter Allgemeine.
It is specified that an agreement on sanctions will not be reached until the next meeting of foreign ministers of the European Union (EU) countries, which will be held on September 21. At the same time, back on August 14, the foreign ministers of the EU countries fundamentally supported the introduction of restrictions due to violations in the presidential elections in Belarus and the dispersal of protests.
Since that time, diplomats have been working on a list of citizens who will be banned from entering the European Union and freeze accounts. According to diplomats, the list includes about 40 people.
Cyprus intends to achieve the introduction of restrictive measures against Turkey in connection with Ankara's plans to produce natural gas in the Eastern Mediterranean, off the coast of Cyprus.
On September 7, it became known that the EU intends to impose sanctions against 31 high-ranking Belarusian officials, including the country's Interior Minister Yuri Karaev. It is noted that the list will include representatives of the election commission, the ministries of internal affairs, justice and others. At the same time, President Alexander Lukashenko will not be included in the sanctions list, since Germany wants to conduct a dialogue with him for some time.
After the presidential elections in Belarus, in which, according to the CEC, Lukashenko won 80 percent of the vote, massive protests began in the country. Demonstrators demand the resignation of the president of the country and the holding of fair elections; clashes with the security forces occurred, during which dozens of people were injured.
The contradictions over the coast in the Eastern Mediterranean arose in 1974 – then a coup d'etat took place in Cyprus, associated with an attempt by Greece to annex the island. Turkey sent troops to the north of Cyprus and proclaimed a Turkish Cypriot federal state there, later it was renamed the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The rest of the island is now under the control of the government of the Republic of Cyprus. Turkey has repeatedly called for joint development of deposits by Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, allowing for cooperation with Russia.
