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The European Union should make Turkey understand that in the 21st, century gunboat diplomacy has no place, Kornelios Korneliou, Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the EU told EurActiv in an exclusive interview. In October, Turkey sent naval vessels specialising in seismic exploration, into Cyprus' Exclusive Economic Zone, without permission.

Ambassador Kornelios Korneliou is a career diplomat. He has chaired Coreper II during the Cyprus presidency of the EU in 2012, has been ambassador to France and UNESCO and has served in the United Nations, OSCE, Austria and Germany.

He spoke to EurActiv's Senior Editor Georgi Gotev.

Can you describe the current state of affairs, following the exploration by Turkish ships of the Exclusive Economic Zone, and their impact on the reunification talks?

Since the 1990s, Cyprus has initiated bilateral talks with all the countries of our region. These led to bilateral agreements with Israel, Lebanon and Egypt, and on the basis of those agreements we started our drilling activities to find gas [in the Cyprus exclusive economic zone]. In 2011, we found the first gas reserves, on the border [of the Exclusive Economic Zone] between Cyprus and Israel. We continued these drilling activities in 2014. For the first time, we saw a different tone in the reaction of Turkey and we should not forget that these activities take place in the southern part of the Cyprus exclusive economic zone, at the border between Cyprus-Israel, Cyprus-Lebanon and Cyprus-Egypt.

There is no relevance in the Turkish actions in a political or a legal context. Thats why the President of Cyprus, Nikos Anastasiades, suspended participation in the talks to solve the Cyprus problem.

The political will is there, but Turkeys illegal reactions, and Im underlining illegal, because that is the position of the international community, including the EU, tied Anastasiades hands.

You cannot take Turkey to court?

First of all, Turkey is not party to the United Nations Conventionon theLawof the Sea (UNCLOS). So Turkey has its own view regarding the International law of the Sea. We are ready to take any action that would lead to deescalation.

But as I was saying, the political will is there, and despite the fact that President Anastasiades suspended his participation at the talks, he made a gesture, and accepted to discuss all pending issues in relation to the energy prospects at the end of the negotiations with the Turkish Cypriot community.

Continued here:
Cyprus Ambassador: The EU should tell Turkey that gunboat diplomacy is over

The government on Friday said it is taking all diplomatic steps to help get the European Union ban on four Indian vegetables lifted and is taking up the issue at appropriate forums.

The government on Friday said it is taking all diplomatic steps to help get the European Union ban on four Indian vegetables lifted and is taking up the issue at appropriate forums.

Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman said she had taken up the issue with EU officials and had also discussed with various European nations including the United Kingdom during her recent visit to London.

"India is taking all diplomatic steps to address the issue of getting the EU ban lifted on some Indian vegetables.

It has also taken up the issue at appropriate forums.

"I had a fruitful and good meeting with UK's Secretary of State for Business Vince Cable, who deals with EU matters and has assured me of supporting India's case in lifting the ban on export of four Indian vegetables to EU," Sitharaman said.

The statement comes two days after the EU lifted the ban on export of Indian mangoes to countries under its fold after conducting farm inspections in India.

Besides mangoes, the EU has imposed a ban on import of Indian vegetables like bitter gourd, snake gourd, aubergines and colocasia/taro leaves.

India has been exporting fresh fruits and vegetables, prominent among them being mangoes, to countries of the European Union.

In May 2014, a ban was imposed by the European Commission on imports of mangoes, bitter gourd, egg plant, snake gourd and taro leaves from India on grounds of interceptions of harmful organisms leading to fears on account of bio-security of the region.

Continued here:
Taking steps to get European Union ban on Indian vegetables lifted, says Government

European Union carbon allowances posted their biggest drop since April after a panel in the blocs parliament failed to agree on how to modify a measure curbing a glut of carbon permits.

Permits fell as much as 8.1% after the European Parliaments industry committee, which has an advisory role in the legislative process, rejected a recommendation on a mechanism to withhold surplus allowances. Earlier, committee members backed inclusion in the report of an amendment to start the market overhaul in 2021, as envisaged by the European Commission, while a proposal for it beginning in 2017 was rejected.

The 28-nation EU is seeking to strengthen its cap-and-trade emissions program after the price of permits plunged almost 70 percent since 2008 to levels that fail to deter industry from burning coal, the most polluting fossil fuel. The measure debated by lawmakers introduces the market stability reserve to automatically adjust the volume of permits in circulation.

A Global Push to Save the Planet

There is no formal opinion adopted today but there were important political signals, especially on the starting date, as well as provisions protecting companies relocating to escape emission limits, Ivo Belet, the Parliaments lead lawmaker on the draft law, told reporters after the vote in Brussels. We cant neglect those votes on those particular compromises.

Benchmark EU allowances fell 7.7 percent to close at 6.84 euros ($7.84) a metric ton, the biggest drop since April 25, on the ICE Futures Europe exchange in London. Volume surged 69% to 46 million metric tons, the most since Dec. 10 and almost quadruple the three-month average.

In todays final ballot, the industry committee voted 31 to 28, with seven abstentions, against an entire report even after approving individual amendments.

The most important thing to highlight is that the committee did not reject the market stability reserve, said Sarah Deblock, director of EU affairs at the International Emissions Trading Association. Its up to the environment committee to decide about the shape of the law.

Under the draft measure, the reserve would automatically absorb allowances if the surplus exceeds a fixed limit and release them to the market in the event of a shortage. National governments and the EU Parliament can modify the draft proposal, with Germany and the U.K. pushing for a 2017 start. Poland, which relies on coal for most of its electricity generation, opposes an early introduction.

In votes on individual amendments, Christian Democrats and Conservatives mustered a majority in favor of starting the reserve in 2021. Groups including the Socialists, Liberals and Greens were pushing for the 2017 start.

See the article here:
EU Carbon Plummets as Panel Rejects Market Fix Recommendation

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