Siena:Cyprus' Foreign Minister Konstantinos Kombos condemned the attacks by the Houthis against Saudi Arabia upon his arrival at the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg. He emphasized that the developing situation in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz is negatively impacting global trade.

According to Cyprus News Agency, Kombos stated that Cyprus strongly denounces the Houthi attacks and supports the application of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to ensure freedom of navigation. He highlighted the importance of adhering to public international law to maintain free navigation.

Kombos also addressed the security dimension of EU enlargement, stressing that the process should be merit-based to enhance the Union's security. He warned that deviating from this approach could undermine the security potential of the European Union.

In relation to Turkey, the minister informed the Council about the illegal Memorandum of Understanding between Turkey and the secessionist entity in the occupied part of Cyprus. This memorandum, he noted, aims to build an underwater natural gas pipeline, violating international law and Cyprus' sovereign rights. He pointed out that such actions are part of a broader pattern of Turkish violations, including 659 instances of airspace and exclusive economic zone breaches reported to the UN in July and August.

Kombos criticized Turkey's alignment with the Common Foreign and Security Policy, which he noted is currently at only 4% for a candidate country. He urged Turkey to view the European Union path as an opportunity rather than an obligation.