Samaras to represent Cyprus in Brussels

In a written statement, Government Spokesman Nicos Christodoulides says Samaras visited the Cypriot President earlier on Thursday at his hotel in Brussels, and wished him a speedy recovery.

President Anastasiades had been admitted to a hospital in Brussels with high blood pressure and was later discharged.

Cyprus is to raise the issue of Turkey's violation of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) at tonight's European Council meeting after Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu raised the specter on Wednesday of the island being divided into two separate states.

Speaking to Vima FM, Cyprus government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides described the situation as being "worse than the Imia crisis," when Greece and Turkey almost went to war over an uninhabited Greek outcrop fifteen years ago.

He reaffirmed Nicosia's intention to block Turkey's attempts to progress with its EU entry negotiations if Ankara does not withdraw the "Barbaros" drilling vessel.