Member states of the United Nations

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Turkey will continue its seismic surveys and drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean, including areas around Cyprus, while blaming Greece for raising tensions in the region.

A draft EU summit statement about potential sanctions on Turkey is "disappointing," presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalın said on Dec. 9. 

Speaking during a German Marshall Fund virtual think tank event, Kalın said he has reviewed the document and hoped EU leaders would "avoid that language of sanctions and threats against Turkey, because sanctions will never work."

Ljubljana – Foreign Minister Anže Logar is expected to hold talks with his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio on Thursday, although virtually and not in-person as was originally scheduled, as Di Maio is self-isolating. Logar will nevertheless travel to Rome, as he is also scheduled to visit the Holy See on Friday.

Ljubljana – The repatriation of ethnic-Slovenian residents of Venezuela was suspended in March following the outbreak of coronavirus, but it was re-launched in autumn, when 13 persons arrived in Slovenia, the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad has announced.

A total of 36 persons have been repatriated so far. They have all been accommodated in private housing and feel well.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu accused Greece on Tuesday of continued "provocations" and of preventing progress in relations.

A contract with the Bulgarian company SAMEL-90 AD for the acquisition of combat vehicles for Bulgarian task forces will be signed at the Ministry of Defense today.

Paul Sarbanes, one of the most significant Greek-American politicians - and certainly the most effective in terms of influence on US decision-making - has died at the age of 87.

Greece can resolve issues with Turkey only by engaging in dialogue and not by relying on others, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Dec. 6.

"Greece can only resolve its bilateral issues with Turkey by sitting at the table, cooperation, and dialogue, not by relying on others," Hami Aksoy, the ministry spokesman, said in a statement.

Turkey will not compromise its sovereign rights on the island of Meis, or airspace covering 10 nautical miles, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Dec. 5.

"No sanctions will ever make Turkey compromise its sovereign rights be in Meis/Kastellorizo or 10 nm airspace," the ministry said on Twitter in response to Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias' article against Turkey.

Rivals Qatar and Saudi Arabia, along with neutral Oman and Kuwait, said on Dec. 4 progress had been made towards resolving the Gulf crisis that has pitted a regional group of nations against Doha.