08/07/2019 (Agence Europe) – On Monday 8 July, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, called on Turkey to refrain from illegally carrying out a new drilling operation in north-eastern Cyprus. “This second drilling operation planned 2 months after the start of ongoing drilling operations in West Cyprus is an unacceptable new escalation that violates Cyprus' sovereignty”, she denounced. Ms Mogherini called on Ankara to act in a spirit of good neighbourliness and to respect the sovereignty and sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus, in accordance with international law. She recalled that the Commission and the European External Action Service were “on the verge of” presenting to the EU Council options for appropriate measures to be taken in response to Turkish actions (see EUROPE 12277/7). (CG)