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151. Experts assist in Cyprus' spy van probe

Following months of sluggish investigation into Cyprus’ spy van, police investigators are reportedly in the process of drafting their final report while another expert is due to arrive on the island to lend a hand...

152. Cyprus, Slovakia FMs discuss Turkey's regional behaviour

Turkey’s escalating provocations in relation to Varosha, as well as in Cyprus’s EEZ and maritime zones, were the focus of discussions in Nicosia on Monday between the Cyprus Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides and the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic Ivan Korcok....

153. Cyprus, Israel, Greece agree to boost defense cooperation

The defense ministers of Greece, Israel and Cyprus agreed Thursday to step up military cooperation which they said will keep their armed forces better prepared, help create more jobs and bolster security in a fraught region. ...

154. Cyprus, Israel affirm excellent bilateral relations

Israeli Minister of Defence Benny Gantz has stressed the necessity for Turkey to immediately terminate its illegal actions in Cyprus and the broader region, in order to create the favourable conditions that would allow for the resumption of a productive dialogue on the Cyprus issue....

155. Cyprus 2021 defence budget up by €70 million

The six pillars of the defence ministry’s strategic aims in defence and security matters were presented before the parliamentary finance committee by defence minister Charalambos Petrides on Monday, in the context of his ministry’s budget for 2021....

156. Athens starts diplomatic offensive

Athens has embarked on an ambitious diplomatic offensive aiming to woo old and new friends in the bid to advance its positions in the face of Turkey’s stance in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean. ...

157. Two ministers and deputy shipping minister in isolation

Transport minster Yiannis Karousos, defence minister Charalambos Petrides and the deputy shipping minister Vasilis Demetriades all went into isolation on Tuesday after a close associate of the transport minister tested positive for the virus....

158. Turkey accuses Greece of treaty violations

Turkey has issued a navigational telex to mariners accusing Greece of violating the Lausanne Treaty by militarizing the Greek island of Chios just 10 miles from a Turkish port...

159. Greek PM expected to unveil French defense deal on Saturday

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is due to unveil the details of a defense deal with Paris that was the subject of talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of a European-Mediterranean leaders’ meeting in Corsica on Thursday....

160. EU calls on Cyprus to manage migration flows in line with EU law

The EU said Tuesday that it acknowledges the difficulties faced by the Republic of Cyprus in terms of the flow of refugees it is called to deal with, but stressed that basic principles and EU legislation must be respected....

161. Cyprus defends blocking migrant boats

A police task force from the Republic of Cyprus is hoping to hash out a plan with Lebanese authorities to deter “economic migrants” from traveling to the island, as government and state officials rush to respond to criticism over a decision to send back undocumented migrants to the neighbouring country...

162. Russia’s top diplomat visits Cyprus

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is flying to the Republic of Cyprus on Monday where a new agreement is expected to be signed on the avoidance of double taxation between the two countries...

163. Politics turn ugly over Cyprus Papers

The main left party opposition in the Republic of Cyprus is firing back at the government, after reports emerged over threats and a confidential letter about Cypriot golden passports a decade earlier...

164. Turkey: Russia to hold live-fire exercises in Mediterranean

Turkey has announced that Russia will hold live-fire naval exercises in the eastern Mediterranean, amid escalating tensions between Turkey and its coastal neighbors Greece and Cyprus over rights to search for energy resources in the region. ...

165. Upgrading Cyprus' defence urgent, Defence Minister says

Minister of Defence Charalambos Petrides said Thursday that the strengthening and upgrading the Republic of Cyprus’ defence constitutes an urgent need, given the fact that the Cyprus problem remains unresolved, and Turkey’s aggressive behaviour in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone is ongoing....

166. EU ‘very clear’ on expectations from Turkey for de-escalation

The message, the expectations, the timeline and the consequences of not acting towards a de-escalation of tension in the Eastern Mediterranean were “made clear” to Turkey, both via the informal Foreign Affairs Council last week in Berlin and in the telephone call on Monday between EU High Representative Josep Borrell and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, according to EU foreign policy spokesman Peter Stano....

167. Ankara accuses Athens of beating the war drum

Turkey says the European Union is not sincere in its efforts to weigh in on the maritime disputes in the eastern Mediterranean, while accusing Athens of beating the war drum by intending to expand Greek territorial waters...

168. Joint drill makes waves around Cyprus

Turkey issued a new navigational telex on Thursday for gunnery exercises next week in the eastern Mediterranean, following an ongoing joint military drill between Cyprus, Greece, France and Italy...

169. Greek defence minister radios Limnos captain

Greek Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos has congratulated the captain of the Greek frigate that was involved in last week's collision with a Turkish ship in the eastern Mediterranean...

170. Amid tensions with Turkey, Greece in joint manoeuvres with France

Amid ongoing tensions with Turkey over disputed waters in the eastern Mediterranean, the French military conducted training exercises with Greek forces on Thursday off the southern island of Crete, including in the maritime area reserved by Turkey’s Navtex earlier this month for seismic exploration....

171. Turkey says it wants to resolve dispute with Greece through dialogue

Turkey’s Energy Minister Fatih Donmez tweeted Wednesday that Turkey plans to lay two cables, totaling 1,750 km in length, for seismic research for energy resources in the Mediterranean Sea by August 23....

172. Regional tensions flare up anew as Turkey issues new Navtex

173. Cyprus-France defence cooperation agreement comes into force

An announcement by the Cyprus Presidency on Thursday officially marked the initiation of a defence cooperation agreement between Cyprus and France, with particular focus on military and energy areas....

174. Cyprus lends a hand to frantic Beirut search and rescue efforts

A Cyprus search and rescue team departed for neighbouring Lebanon on Wednesday afternoon to contribute to ongoing frantic efforts to locate missing persons and survivors of the massive blasts that rocked Beirut on Tuesday afternoon....

175. Majority of new cases young asymptomatic people, Cyprus health minister warns

Findings from the government-ordered random sampling program targeting 3,000 people that was finalized on Tuesday confirmed rising concerns that the virus is officially spreading anew through the Cyprus population, with an announcement by health minister Constantinos Ioannou on Wednesday raising the alarm over the dangerous repercussions of the spread getting out of hand....

176. Greek FM says Athens got Nicosia’s back

Nicosia and Athens are seeking ways to further oppose Turkey’s moves in the eastern Mediterranean, after Ankara signaled it was ready for dialogue but also sent a seismic research vessel in Cypriot waters...

177. Cypriot president in Paris for talks

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades is set to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Thursday, as the two leaders get together amid heightened rhetoric over the eastern Mediterranean...

178. Leaders of Cyprus, Greece coordinate response to new regional instabilities

The President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades shared a telephone conversation with the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wednesday to discuss ongoing regional developments in view of the navtex issued by Tukey on Tuesday announcing plans for seismic surveys is an area of sea between Cyprus and Crete....

179. Evaluating and learning from the pandemic response

The COVID-19 pandemic is testing the strengths and exposing the weaknesses of governments, defence, security forces and the private sector in their crisis preparedness and response. In order for future responses to be more robust and resilient, governments will need to understand how these actors collaborate and map leadership priorities...

180. Moratorium on energy plans would be the end of Cyprus' energy prospects, Lakkotrypis says

Outgoing Energy Minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis told Kathimerini Cyprus that a moratorium on the Republic’s energy plans due to internal or external instabilities would mean the end of any energy prospects for the country....