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91. EC head taken aback as Erdogan and Michel snap up the chairs

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was taken aback to find her fellow top EU official taking the only chair available next to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan when the duo visited Ankara, and her spokesman made that clear on Wednesday....

92. Michel says EU will be active observer in Cyprus peace talks

The EU remains committed to the resumption of Cyprus peace talks and is looking forward to the informal meeting set to take place in Geneva later this month, where it will participate as an active observer, European Council President Charles Michel said Tuesday after meeting with Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara....

93. Top EU officials head to Turkey in bid to improve ties

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council chief Charles Michel are headed to Turkey on Tuesday on an official visit aimed at improving ties between Brussels and Ankara....

94. Anastasiades sends message to Turkey via Michel

President Nicos Anastasiades called on Friday on the President of the European Council Charles Michel, who is set to visit Ankara next week, to convey to the need for Turkey to show political will that will allow the resumption of substantive talks on Cyprus....

95. EU presidents to go to Turkey next week

The presidents of the European Council and the European Commission will meet Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey on April 6, an EU spokesman said on Monday, in the latest sign of improving ties....

96. Anastasiades stays focused on getting EU at Geneva table

President Nicos Anastasiades delved extensively into the substantive role the EU has to play at upcoming Cyprus peace processes during a teleconference convened Friday by the European Council President Charles Michel with EU leaders....

97. EU leaders seek to inject energy into slow vaccine rollout

European Union leaders are gathering Thursday to try to inject new energy into the bloc’s lagging coronavirus vaccination efforts as concern mounts that new variants might spread faster than authorities can adapt....

98. Anastasiades holds call with Charles Michel

President Nicos Anastasiades held a phone call with the European Council President Charles Michel on Thursday to touch base on the upcoming European Council meetings scheduled this month and next....

99. 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....

100. No ‘cold turkey’ route as EU ministers meet

No big steps are expected Monday as EU foreign ministers meet to evaluate possible sanctions against Turkey, laying the groundwork for a more substantive debate between EU leaders later in the week...

101. Cat-and-mouse game with Turkey must stop, Michel says

A game of “cat-and-mouse” between the European Union and Turkey needs to come to an end, European Council President Charles Michel said on Friday, in reference to a dispute over natural gas resources in the Eastern Mediterranean....

102. Anastasiades participates in prep meeting ahead of EUCO

With the European Council coming up next Wednesday and Thursday, President Nicos Anastasiades participated in a preparatory videoconference hosted by European Council President Charles Michel to discuss issues on the agenda, which is also expected to include a discussion of the potential imposition of sectoral sanctions against Turkey....

103. Cyprus shoots its shot in race for vaccine

As the Republic of Cyprus expects to get one million of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, President Anastasiades is calling for “common standards” as fierce competition overseas paints a gloomy picture on how countries go about to secure vaccinations for their citizens...

104. Bar set low as Brussels, UN in low spirits for CyProb involvement

Foreign players ranging from Brussels and Berlin to New York have lowered their expectations and show a reduced eagerness to actively get involved in efforts to reach a solution to the Cyprus Problem....

105. Michel’s first draft falls through

Little or no progress was made at the Special European Council by Thursday early evening, with reports saying Greece and Cyprus did not agree with a draft statement on EU relations with Turkey...

106. Cyprus on the menu as EU27 break bread

European Council President Charles Michel has set aside an entire EU27 dinner to tackle the eastern Mediterranean and EU relations with Turkey, while President Erdogan has sent a letter outlying Ankara's position and a suggested way forward...

107. Greek FM in Cyprus ahead of Brussels summit

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias is visiting Nicosia on Wednesday for talks with his Cypriot counterpart ahead of a crucial Special European Council meeting later this week...

108. Michel proposes EastMed conference to diffuse tensions

The President of the European Council Charles Michel said Friday that unilateral actions and violations of international law in the Eastern Mediterranean “must absolutely stop”, tabling a proposal for a multilateral conference on the Eastern Mediterranean, in cooperation with the United Nations. ...

109. Michel pulls plug on EU leaders summit

European Council President Charles Michel on Tuesday postponed without prior notice this week's EU leaders summit, where the bloc’s credibility is said to on the line, saying he would isolate himself following a coronavirus scare...

110. Turkey, Greece ready to resume exploratory talks

Turkey and Greece stated they are ready to resume exploratory talks to address their contested maritime claims in the eastern Mediterranean and Aegean, the Turkish presidency said, after a call between the leaders of Turkey, Germany and the European Union on Tuesday....

111. Cyprus uses EU veto amid Turkey push

A scheduled teleconferenceon Tuesday between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Council President Charles Michel is expected to be pivotal for a crisis in Greek-Turkish relations which Berlin has been trying to defuse ahead of a summit of European Union leaders later this week...

112. Berlin pushing Greece, Turkey dialogue

Berlin’s intense efforts to get talks between Athens and Ankara under way were underlined by Wednesday’s teleconference German Chancellor Angela Merkel had with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a few hours after one with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis....

113. EU solidarity to go beyond words, Michel tells Anastasiades

In a meeting with the European Council President Charles Michel on Wednesday, the President of the Republic of Cyprus expressed hope that EU member states will show a united front during next week’s extraordinary European Council summit on Turkey....

114. 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...

115. European Council president to visit Cyprus

European Council President Charles Michel is due to visit Cyprus on Wednesday, ahead of a meeting of European Union leaders on September 24 and 25...

116. Sanctions unfeasible and ineffective

Nathalie Tocci was a close adviser to former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, during the years when the Cyprus Problem came – according to many - closer than ever to a solution. Today, she is a close advisor to Josep Borrell and, having monitored the Cyprus Problem for many years and having played a central role in the effort to formulate a European strategy for foreign policy, she has a strong view not only on Cyprus but also on the Greek-Turkish conflict. At the same time, she takes a critical approach to the efforts exerted by Athens and Nicosia to link sanctions against Turkey with those against Belarus. ...

117. EU must go beyond words, Cyprus President says

The EU must go beyond words, Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades said during a teleconference on Wednesday evening with European Council President Charles Michel, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU member states leaders ahead of the European Council Summit that will take place in Brussels on September 24-25....

118. Charles Michel reiterates EU support for Greece, Cyprus in East Med row

European Council President Charles Michel on Monday reiterated European Union solidarity with Greece and Cyprus during a telephone conversation with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in which the increasingly tense situation in the Eastern Mediterranean was the key topic of discussion, according to sources....

119. EastMed diplomatic marathon in full swing

European Council President Charles Michel on Thursday held a telephone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to the former’s spokesman Barend Leyts....

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