The government of Cyprus, just 230 miles from Gaza, has proposed the establishment of a one-way maritime corridor to provide uninterrupted aid to Palestinian civilians trapped there. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will travel to the island nation later this week to discuss the plan with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.

Voting for president in the Greek Cypriot part of the island. The forerunners are former Foreign Minister Nikos Christodouldes, right-leaning Democratic Rally (DISY) party leader Averof Neophytou, and career diplomat Andreas Mavroyiannis, backed by the leftist Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL). All are close to departing president Anastasiades. Christodouldes wins 32% of the vote and will oppose Mavroyiannis, who won a surprisingly strong 29.6%, in a runoff on 2/12.

Turkish Cypriots demand a review of UN peacekeeping forces maintaining the Green Line that separates Turkish Cyprus from Greek Cyprus. The Greek Cypriots fear that the north will try to evict the peacekeepers, which would restrict them to the buffer zone in the south. Turkish Cyprus has about 35,000 Turkish troops stationed there, many more than the Greek force.

In voting today in Northern Cyprus for the Assembly of the Republic, the pro-Turkey, rightist National Unity Party (UBP), led by Ersin Tatar, wins about 40% of the vote. Two seats short of a majority, it will need to form a coalition to govern. The centrist Republican Turkish Party (CTP) is second. The UBP favors a two-state solution to the Cypriot problem and the CTP negotiation with the Greek part of the island, but the election focused mainly on the economy, hit hard by a drop in tourism due to COVID-19 and the decline in the value of the Turkish lira.

Right-wing nationalist Ersin Tatar, who favors continuing division on the island, secures victory over incumbent Mustafa Akinci in runoff.

Northern Cyprus Foreign Minister of Kudret Özersay resigns in protest of Prime Minister Ersin Tatar's decision to re-open a Greek Cypriot-majority resort town days before the presidential election and pulls his People's Party out of the ruling coalition.

EU cuts some aid to Turkey in retribution for illegal gas drilling off Cyprus.

Planned meeting between representatives of Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots.

Turkey asserts it will continue drilling in the eastern Mediterranean off Cyprus despite EU sanctions, saying that Cyprus is a divided country in which it has rights.

EU Council adopts a framework for sanctions on those conducting unauthorized drilling off Cyprus.

Cyprus signs exploitation license with the Aphrodite consortium, Noble Energy, Shell and Delek Drilling. The plan calls for an undersea pipeline that will transport the Aphrodite field’s natural gas to Egypt’s Idku LNG plant, where it will liquified and exported to European and international markets.

Cyprus protests against a Turkish drilling ship, escorted by warships, that will look for gas deposits off southern Cyprus. Cyprus has licensed French and Italian companies to search for hydrocarbon deposits in the area, but Turkey claims that the area is partly within its continental shelf and also that it is under the jurisdiction of Turkish Cypus. Turkey does not recognize Greek Cyprus.

Cyprus, overwhelmed by influx of asylum seekers, asks EU for help. Because Turkey recognizes the Turkish Republic of Nothern Cyprus, refugees in Turkey can travel there legally.

EU penalizes Turkey for gas drilling off Cyprus.

Turkey sends a second ship to Cyprus to drill for natural gas. Cyprus protests.

Exxon Mobil begins drilling for natural gas off Cyprus in an area called Block 10. Turkey protests.

National Unity Party, led by PM Huseyin Ozgurgun, wins the most seats in Northern Cyprus parliamentary elections. Turkey is the only country that recognizes Northern Cyprus as a separate country, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Cyprus says it will begin exploratory drilling for oil of its southern shore. Turkey protests, saying that the move violates the rights of Turkish Cyprus, where Turkey has 30,000 troops.