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1501. Informal summit likely in first week of March, FM says

Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said the tentative date of the informal five-party summit on the Cyprus Problem is the first week of March, though final decisions lay with the UN Secretary General (UNSG) Antionio Guterres and depend on coronavirus developments....

1502. Cabinet okays bill for establishment of Dep. Ministry of Social Welfare

The Council of Ministers on Wednesday approved a bill for the establishment of a Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare in Cyprus, the deputy government spokesperson Panayiotis Sentonas said in a written statement on Wednesday....

1503. EU keeping close eye on Turkish moves

European Union foreign ministers have agreed to a “wait-and-see” approach towards Turkey, with some member-states appearing more skeptical of Ankara’s recent overtures....

1504. Informal Cyprob summit to take place in New York's Greentree

Cyprus’ outgoing Permanent Representative to the UN and Greek Cypriot negotiator, Andreas Mavroyiannis, said Monday that the informal five-party summit on the Cyprus Problem which the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres intends to convene is an ambitious project, adding that "we must not lose the window of opportunity that lies before us." ...

1505. UNSC backs federal solution to Cyprus Problem

The UN Security Council (UNSC) on Tuesday expressed its support to the efforts being undertaken by the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) to resume Cyprus Problem peace talks and unanimously stood behind a bizonal bicommunal federation settlement basis....

1506. Former FinMin tells passport probe he shares part of blame

Former Finance Minister Harris Georgiades told the independent investigative committee probing the citizenships by exception granted via the Republic’s nixed ‘golden passports’ program that “as a member of the Council of Ministers, I have a portion of the blame”. ...

1507. Paphos wipes out Ottoman street name

The city council in Paphos has voted to rename Talaat Pasha street, after examining a request representing interests within the Armenian community...

1508. Cypriot FM visits Gulf before US inauguration

Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides flew to the United Arab Emirates on Monday to hold a private meeting with his counterpart, days after the two countries signed a military cooperation agreement but also days before a changing of the guard in Washington could spell trouble for US arms sales to Gulf states...

1509. Smoothening the cliff edge in EU-UK relations

The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) between the United Kingdom and the European Union came into effect on January 1, 2021, capping a tumultuous four-and-a-half-year period since the shocking result of the July 2016 Brexit referendum, in which 51.9% of the British voters voted in favor of leaving the EU. Subject to the delayed assent of the European Parliament, this UK-EU free trade agreement (FTA) extends zero-tariff and quota-free trade in goods between the two economic areas....

1510. Anastasiades invites National Council to informal Cyprob summit

President Anastasiades briefed the National Council on Thursday on the latest developments in the Cyprus Problem, and extended an invitation to Council members to accompany him on the informal meeting the UN is organising, that is expected to take place in New York in late February or early May....

1511. Cyprus puts national minimum wage on hold until full employment

The Cyprus government will launch a social dialogue for the implementation of the national minimum wage when full employment is reached, namely when unemployment is around 5%....

1512. Spehar meets leaders ahead of UNFICYP mandate renewal

The UN Secretary General’s Special Representative Elizabeth Spehar held tête-à-têtes with the leaders of the two communities on Wednesday morning ahead of the Security Council’s upcoming vote on the renewal of UNFICYP’s mandate....

1513. Turkey and Greece to resume talks

Turkey and Greece will resume talks aimed at reducing tensions between the neighbors on Jan. 25, Turkish and Greek officials announced Monday, following this summer’s dispute over maritime borders and energy rights in the eastern Mediterranean...

1514. Five-party meeting within eyeshot

UN special envoy Jane Holl Lute on Monday got both leaders of divided Cyprus to commit to the possibility of informal talks as early as next month, with local media on both sides noting the lack of an official statement from the global organization...

1515. Cyprus, Portugal agree to take ties to next level

Cyprus Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides paid an official visit to Portugal’s capital on Thursday for a tête-à-tête with his Portuguese counterpart Augusto Santos Silva on the occasion of Portugal’s assumption of the presidency of the Council of the European Union on January 1....

1516. Cyprus, US sign Declaration of Intent on border security

Cyprus and the USA signed on Tuesday a Declaration of Intent on strengthening cooperation on border security issues, in view of enhancing their capacity to counter common threats and foster stability in the region. ...

1517. Lute set to visit Cyprus anew by mid-January

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Cyprus, Jane Holl Lute, is expected to visit the island anew during the first half of January in view of holding meetings with the leaders of the two sides as preparations continue toward the organisation of an informal conference on the Cyprus problem....

1518. A timeline of the coronavirus pandemic in Cyprus

The coronavirus pandemic in Cyprus, which kicked off mildly at first with double-digit daily new cases before the second wave sent the island into unprecedented terrain with hundreds of daily new cases and the healthcare system ready to give in at any given time, can be generally divided into four stages. ...

1519. Cyprus won’t extradite Russian woman with MG

The Supreme Court in the Republic of Cyprus has refused to extradite a Russian woman citing her health condition, saying Moscow failed to convince local authorities that the individual would not face mistreatment if she would be extradited...

1520. The Greek scientist developing 6G

At the moment Greece is unveiling the 5G communications network, on the opposite end of Europe, a Greek professor, a communications engineer, is getting a grant from the European Research Council to develop 6G....

1521. Cyprus calls on Egypt to assist in persuading Turkey to shift intransigent stance

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades has asked the Egyptian government to exert every effort towards persuading Turkey to alter its intransigent stance and to reverse its unilateral and provocative actions, in view of ultimately easing of tensions in a consistent and sustained manner, allowing the cultivation of a climate that is conducive to facilitating the resumption of the peace process....

1522. Turkey at risk of extended sanctions by March, EU source tells Kathimerini

Ankara could be slapped with more European sanctions depending on the findings of an evaluation report on Turkey expected by March, a senior diplomatic official has told Kathimerini on condition of anonymity....

1523. New Chinese Ambassador hails deepening relations with Cyprus

China opposes any unilateral provocations and actions that undermine the peace and stability of Cyprus and the region and as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, it will continue to play a constructive and coordinating role in facilitating the settlement of the Cyprus problem, UNFICYP’s mandate renewal, and the implementation of relevant UN resolutions, to uphold fairness and justice for Cypriots, China's new Ambassador to Cyprus, Liu Yantao said, presenting on Thursday his credentials to Cyrpus President, Nicos Anastasiades....

1524. Dendias warns against appeasing Turkey

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias says the European Union should have shown more determination in taking decisions regarding Turkey, breaking ranks with Cyprus’ president who said he was fully satisfied with EC conclusions...

1525. Cyprus President 'absolutely satisfied' with EC Conclusions

President Nicos Anastasiades expressed absolute satisfaction with the Conclusions of the European Council regarding Turkey’s activities in the Eastern Mediterranean....

1526. EU to talk Turkey after all is said and done

The 'Turkey issue' is far from clear as EU leaders prepare to meet on Thursday, with Ankara accusing Athens of taking a provocative stance and Paris laying it all out before the Union could resume talks with NATO’s eastern flank member...

1527. Cyprus, Greece and Jordan to step up cooperation

Cyprus, Greece and Jordan vowed Tuesday to further enhance their trilateral cooperation, which will cover defence and security issues as well as economic and trade cooperation....

1528. President Anastasiades travels to Brussels ahead of European Council

1529. Past week was the worst epidemiologically since outbreak

Health minister Constantinos Ioannou was the bearer of unpleasant news on Tuesday, announcing that the current epidemiological situation doesn’t appear to leave room for the planned relaxation of measures from December 14....

1530. Turkey shrugs off effect of sanctions as EUCO looms

The intense consultations between European Union member-states on the bloc’s response to Turkish aggression in recent months are expected to continue until the 11th hour before the start of Thursday’s crucial leaders summit. ...