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1. Anastasiades: Patriotic realism dictates solution through diplomacy, not weapons

Instead of a catastrophic scenario, we opt for diplomacy, the weapons of international law and Cyprus’ status as an EU member state. This is what is dictated by patriotic realism and rationalism, and not a rhetoric of empty slogans. The coming days are crucial as regards initiatives taken by the EU and the US in view of preventing a potential crisis through targeted measures towards Turkey....

2. New Defence Minister holds first call with Greek counterpart

Cyprus’ new Defence Minister Charalambos Petrides shared his first official telephone conversation with his Greek counterpart Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos on Wednesday....

3. Anastasiades: Cyprus wants escalation of EU action against Turkey

“Cyprus is asking for an escalation of EU action against Turkey’s provocativeness,” President Nicos Anastasiades stated in an interview with the Greek television network Open....

4. Greece to open seven border crossings with Balkan countries, Turkey

Greece will reopen seven of its 14 border crossings in the north on Wednesday, as part of the country’s further reopening to tourists from abroad....

5. Greek police searching for Cyprus victims of bogus doctor

Hellenic Police (ELAS) investigators are searching for Cyprus residents who may have fallen victim to a 47-year-old man who stands accused in Greece of posing as a health specialist and who possibly contributed to the death of three cancer patients, including two teenagers....

6. EU impasse poses threat to Greek tourism

Greece’s plan to open up to the world on July 1 to salvage its tourist season could be jeopardized as there is a growing risk that European Union member-states will fail to agree on the details regarding the opening of their borders to travelers from third countries on that date. ...

7. Borrell says EU ‘determined’ to protect external borders

The European Union is “determined” to protect its external borders and Greece’s territory, the bloc’s high representative for foreign affairs, Josep Borrell, said during a visit at Greece’s northeastern border on Wednesday....

8. Expert calls for tests on all arriving passengers

A local expert on the government’s public health task force says she is worried over coronavirus cases among arriving passengers who are not being detected as they land in the Republic of Cyprus...

9. EU foreign policy chief to hold string of meetings in Cyprus this week

The EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell is set to hold a meetings with top Cyprus government officials including president Nicos Anastasiades on June 25 and 26, the Cyprus News Agency reported Tuesday....

10. Turkish FM accuses Athens of shirking dialogue

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu dismissed accusations that Ankara is unwilling to seek a solution through talks with Greece, saying that the Greek prime minister needs to “look in the mirror and ask himself where he went wrong.” ...

11. Cypriot FM to visit Israel in a hurry

Cypriot Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides will pay a last minute visit to Israel on Tuesday, days after President Nicos Anastasiades called off his trip citing coronavirus concerns and just before debate in the neighbouring country is expected to peak over annexation plans in West Bank...

12. Egyptian president stresses importance of strategic relations with Greece

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has stressed the importance of strategic relations with Greece, while expressing Cairo’s desire to strengthen cooperation with Athens in a wide range of areas, according to a statement by the Egyptian presidency published in the country’s flagship state newspaper Al-Ahram....

13. Cyprus president calls off Israel visit

Republic of Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades has called off a visit to Israel next week, citing coronavirus concerns, just a day after the Greek Premier concluded his first foreign trip the neighbouring country...

14. Cyprus, Greece to be Israeli tourists' first destination, Netanyhu says

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday he aims to resume regular flights to and from Israel by August 1, noting Greece and Cyprus will be the first destination for Israeli tourists....

15. Mitsotakis makes Israel his first destination

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is traveling to Israel today on his first foreign visit since the coronavirus outbreak. The message is clear, and it is being sent out in several directions. After deepening their mutually beneficial relationship (which is not aimed at any third country) for a decade, Greece and Israel are pushing ties to a new level....

16. Athens has four deterrence scenarios over Turkey's drilling plans

In anticipation of a crisis in September, when Turkey says it plans to begin drilling activities in Greece's continental shelf, Athens has elaborated four deterrence plans, while at the same bidding to keep channels of communication open with Ankara....

17. Cyprus announces three new cases

Republic of Cyprus authorities announced on Sunday that they detected three new coronavirus cases after carrying out 1252 tests, including 389 samples taken from people who were repatriated...

18. Cypriot officials report no new cases

Authorities in the Republic of Cyprus announced they had no new confirmed COVID-19 cases to report on Saturday based on lab test results, while figures from repatriated persons were still pending...

19. Cyprus President and Greek Premier share call to coordinate

President Nicos Anastasiades and the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis shared a telephone conversation on Thursday to coordinate a series of separate contacts and deliberations the two leaders will hold with foreign leaders....

20. Greece and Italy sign ‘historic’ maritime borders accord

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio on Tuesday inked a maritime borders agreement delimiting an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between the two countries....

21. Greece, Italy to sign agreement on EEZ

Athens and Rome are expected to sign an agreement delimiting an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between Greece and Italy on Tuesday....

22. Republic of Cyprus reopens airports

Flights resume Tuesday morning in the Republic of Cyprus, with government officials saying they are ready and optimistic about the bold move...

23. Greek PM says Greece ready for any challenge

Amid renewed tensions with Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stressed on Wednesday that Greece “will face all challenges with consistency, stability, confidence and always with a commitment to international law, as it always does.”...

24. EU top diplomat urges Turkey to respect Greece, Cyprus sovereignty

Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, on Tuesday urged Turkey to respect the sovereignty of Greece and Cyprus....

25. Ankara sparks renewed tensions with Athens over claim for 24 blocks

Ankara on Tuesday responded to a complaint from Athens concerning a map published in the Turkish government’s gazette outlining areas where Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) has applied for exploration licenses, including several within Greece’s continental shelf, by insisting that these areas are within the boundaries Turkey has submitted to the United Nations. ...

26. Greece to make massive riot police equipment purchase

Greece is planning purchases worth millions of euros to equip the Hellenic Police’s (ELAS) riot force with shields, helmets, uniforms, bullet-proof vests and other supplies, including large quantities of tear gas, in anticipation of a fresh push on the northeastern border with Turkey by undocumented migrants and refugees trying to force their way into the European Union....

27. Communion ritual unchanged in Orthodox Church despite virus

One by one, the children and adults line up for the centuries-old ritual of Holy Communion, trying to keep a proper social distance. The priest dips a spoon into the chalice of bread and wine, which the faithful believe is the body and blood of Christ, and puts it into the mouth of the first person in line....

28. Greece, Turkey exchange barbs over migrants

Greece on Thursday pushed back on criticism by Turkey that is violating the rights of refugees and migrants attempting to reach the country, saying Ankara has “instrumentalized human suffering”...

29. Greece to welcome Germans, Cypriots, Israelis in first wave of visitors

Greece will allow travelers from around two dozen countries including Germany, Cyprus and Israel to visit from mid-June without having to be quarantined, government officials said, part of a gradual easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions....

30. Greek FM insists Evros fence will be completed