Greek Cypriots

The UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution Thursday encouraging rival Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots "to sustain their commitment" to reunifying the divided Mediterranean island following the collapse of talks earlier this month.

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.

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.

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.

As the collapse of the Cyprus reunification talks showed that Greek Cypriots were not interested in a negotiated agreement, Turkey is left with no option but to act alone, a retired Turkish ambassador has said.

Turkey on July 20 accused Greek Cyprus of taking "dangerous" steps in its search for energy resources in the Mediterranean, two weeks after crunch talks aimed at reunifying the divided island collapsed, as reported by AFP. 

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım visited the northern Cyprus to mark the 43rd anniversary of Turkey's intervention on the island.

Turkey has vowed "different processes" were ahead regarding Cyprus after a U.N.-led conference failed to provide a settlement to the decades-old division in the island, announcing a joint work with Turkish Cypriots for a road map. 

Turkey warned the Greek Cypriot administration over its hydrocarbon-related activities in the Eastern Mediterranean late on July 13. 

The Gökçeada frigate belonging to Turkey's Naval Forces has begun patrolling the eastern Mediterranean Sea in a bid to watch the exploration activities of Greek Cyprus off the island, as Turkey vowed to retaliate against the Greek Cypriot government's unilateral actions, a move that would likely spark fresh tension in the region.

The West Capella drilling ship arrived off the coast of Cyprus on Wednesday as a French-Italian consortium was preparing to start operations in block 11, without any reports of harassment from Turkish warships conducting exercises with live ammunition within the island's economic exclusive zone (EEZ).