Cyprus

Turkish Cypriot authorities on released July 27 the captain and crew of a boat hired by far-right activists to prevent would-be migrants from reaching Europe, local media reported.

Kıbrıs Postası reported earlier on July 27 that the captain, his second-in-command, the vessel's owner and seven crew members had been detained over accusations of "using and publishing false documents."

Following the collapse of United Nations-mediated Cyprus talks earlier this month, Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos on Thursday called on the international community to stop tolerating the presence of Turkish occupying troops in the island's north.

European Commission President Jean Claude Junker has sent a letter to President Anastasiades saying a settlement of the Cyprus problem must be based on European principles.

“Because they afford the best prospects for lasting peace and prosperity for the two communities and the country, but also for stability in the region,” he also said in the letter released on Thursday.

Turkish Cypriots announced Wednesday that Maronites can return to the villages of Asomatos, Kormakitis and Karpasia in the Turkish-occupied north of Cyprus.

Those who return will remain under Turkish-Cypriot administration. A Turkish-Cypriot committee is making the necessary preparations.

President Nicos Anastasiades announced on Wednesday that he had decided to back down on his decision to controversially make public the minutes of meeting during the peace talks in Crans-Montana following a plea from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

The center of gravity for developments on the Cyprus issue is moving to New York with the next moves expected to unfold at the United Nations headquarters.

Specifically, four essential actions are expected on the part of the UN, which are all considered crucial for the ongoing developments in the Cyprus issue, Phileleftheros reported on Wednesday.

The Church of Cyprus has a definitely far limited clout on politics compared to the Makarios period when the Archbishop was the "national leader" and the president of the state at the same time.

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades on Monday evening launched a fiery attack against UN Cyprus envoy Espen Barth Eide accusing him of lying about the failure of the talks in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, earlier this month.

Up to 20,000 refugees from the fenced city of Varosha, and three Maronite villages in Famagusta, may be allowed to return under Turkish-Cypriot administration said Turkish-Cypriot media.

According to Turkish-Cypriot newspaper Detay, the Turkish-Cypriot and Turkish side are preparing to make unilateral steps after the collapse of the Conference on Cyprus in Crans-Montana.

The EU lost credibility in 2004 for most Turks when it admitted Cyprus (meaning Greek Cyprus) as a full member, despite the overwhelming rejection by Greek Cypriots of the so called "Annan Plan," which was the best blueprint-regardless of its shortcomings—for a solution to this problem until then.