Cyprus

Diyarbak?r Bar Association head Tahir Elçi was killed by the same groups that have been trying to obstruct the crime scene investigation for more than two days since the killing occurred, Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu has claimed. 

Turkey's Economic Development Foundation (?KV) has welcomed decisions reached at the European Union-Turkey Summit on Nov. 29, stating that they presented a chance to revive Turkey's accession process to the EU. 

"It is pleasing that a new start has been made in the relations," read a part of the statement issued on Nov. 30 by the ?KV. 

Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Ak?nc? has expressed his solidarity with the arrested editor-in-chief of Turkish daily Cumhuriyet and its Ankara bureau chief.

"Democracy, human rights, freedom of thought and expression and the right to access information are musts in being human," the president said on his Facebook page on Nov. 29. 

Turkey came out a clear winner from the EU28 leaders summit on EU-Turkey. It was agreed that Turkey would be granted 3 billion euos in refugee aid as well as a promise to accelerate the EU accession process. In return, Turkey would aid the EU by stemming the migration flow to the EU bloc.

Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias addressed the University of Tehran in Iran on Sunday. He said that Greek foreign policy seeks to be “active and responsible” to unite and “utilize the past for the future”.

Turkey is capable of opening all European Union accession chapters, with the exception of competition and public procurement, as long as the union is prepared, Turkish EU Minister Volkan Bozk?r has told daily Hürriyet, adding the remaining chapters could be opened if the Cyprus problem was solved.

Turkey's foreign minister said ongoing talks aimed at findign a solution to Cyprus issue are the "last chance" to reach a peace accord.

Mevlüt Cavu?o?lu said the United Nations, which is brokering negotiations, "also thinks this is the last chance" and that the world body wants the island's leaders to take advantage of it.

A European Union draft document, which is expected to be released after a Nov. 29 meeting with Turkey and has been seen by daily Hürriyet, has set October 2016 as the target date for visa exemption for Turkish citizens. 

The European Union's Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) was set to study the document on Nov. 26. 

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavu?o?lu will visit northern Cyprus on Nov. 26 in his first abroad trip since resuming his position after a three-month break, the ministry said in a written statement on Nov. 25. 

The visit comes on the eve of U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's scheduled trip to the island in a bid to show Washington's support for the ongoing peace talks.  

The special adviser of the U.N. Secretary-General (SASG) on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, said after a meeting with Turkish Cypriot Leader Mustafa Ak?nc? on Nov. 24 that progress has been reached on a number of issues in recent peace talks. Eide was speaking a day before the two leaders from both sides of divided Cyprus were scheduled to meet in Nicosia as part of talks on Nov. 25.