Middle Eastern countries

A 12-member mixed delegation is scheduled to convene in Jerusalem, Nicosia, Cyprus and Athens from January 10 to 18.

The delegation will convene in Jerusalem, from Jan. 10 to 13, then continue to Nicosia, Cyprus, Jan. 13 to 14, and make its final stop in Athens, Greece, Jan. 14 to 18.

Bahrain announced on Jan. 4 it was cutting diplomatic ties with Iran, state news agency BNA reported, a day after its ally and neighbour Saudi Arabia also severed relations with Tehran.

Despite increased recent attention to relations with Gulf partners such as Qatar, Turkey remains overwhelmingly dependent on Western sources for foreign direct investment (FDI), according to data from the Central Bank. Data shows that 85 percent of FDI came from the EU, other European countries, and the U.S.

Saudi Arabia and Turkey agreed on the need to set up a "strategic cooperation council" to stengthen military, economic and investment cooperation between the two countries, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on Dec. 29. 

Fresh water has been pumped through a new pipeline to the sea rather than to households in Turkish Cyprus, amid an unresolved dispute between Turkey and Turkish Cyprus over who will run the water affairs of the newly-built pipeline.

Turkey will establish a military base in Qatar as part of a defence agreement aimed at helping them confront "common enemies," Turkey's ambassador to Qatar said on Dec. 16. 

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has reportedly sent a letter to Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu, promising progress in the opening of five negotiation chapters between Turkey and the EU in the first quarter of 2016. The letter implies that the Greek Cypriot government will be convinced to lift its veto on the related chapters.

More and more efforts are building to convince Turkey that for a place in the European Union - even in a future outer layer of a multi-layered one - Ankara must see the reality that the road passes through Nicosia. Which Nicosia?

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.