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241. Greece to extend territorial waters amid dispute with Turkey

Turkey’s president warned Greece on Wednesday not to test his country’s patience or courage as the NATO allies remained locked in a tense dispute over offshore energy exploration in the eastern Mediterranean, while Greece announced plans to extend its territorial waters along its western coastline....

242. German FM calls for ‘direct discussions’ between Greece and Turkey

“The windows for dialogue between Greece and Turkey must now be opened further and not closed,” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in an emailed statement before meeting Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his counterpart, Nikos Dendias, in Athens on Tuesday....

243. Mitsotakis spells out message to Turkey

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called on Turkey to “stop the provocations” in the Eastern Mediterranean and return to the negotiating table in order to resolve disagreements regarding the delimitation of maritime zones...

244. Ankara responds to Greek warnings

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan says an attack on Oruc Reis in the eastern Mediterranean would incur a “high price” while at the same time calling for a win-win solution through dialogue...

245. 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....

246. 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....

247. Athens warns of possible 'accident' in East Med

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wednesday warned about the possibility of an "accident" in the Eastern Mediterranean where Greek and Turkish naval forces have gathered after Ankara decided to sent a vessel to conduct seismic research south of Kastellorizo...

248. Dendias to meet Pompeo in Vienna

Athens says it will not accept a fait accompli in the Eastern Mediterranean, with reports saying Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias is set to meet US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Vien on Friday....

249. Leaders of Cyprus, Greece talk strategy

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades was briefed on Tuesday by the Greek Premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the situation in Greece’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone, where Turkey’s seismic exploration vessel is currently stationed, with the two leaders agreeing on coordinated action....

250. Turkey says it will license new Mediterranean areas this month

Turkey will issue seismic exploration and drilling licenses in new areas of the eastern Mediterranean by the end of August and continue its operations in the region, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday, amid tensions with Greece....

251. Turkey issues yet another Navtex as vessel moves into Greek EEZ

Turkey has responded to a Greek navigational telex (Navtex) issued earlier Monday with an advisory saying that three Turkish research vessels are “conducting seismic survey in Turkey’s continental shelf… in accordance with international law.”...

252. Turkish seismic research vessel within Cyprus EEZ

The Turkish seismic research vessel Oruc Reis was spotted on Monday off the Western coast of Cyprus and in the area delineated by Turkey’s fresh Navtex....

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

254. At least seven die in massive flood on Evia

At least seven people died and one person was still missing after a storm hit the Greek island of Evia early Sunday, causing massive floods and blocking exit roads...

255. Greek PM proposes fresh talks with Turkey on maritime zones, or World Court

Greece’s Prime Minister reiterated a call for bilateral talks with Turkey on the delimitation of maritime zones in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean, adding that if these don’t work, they should refer the issue to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague....

256. Greek PM tweaks cabinet to increase efficiency on economy, labor and environment

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has introduced changes to the makeup of his cabinet aimed at increasing its “operational efficiency,” government spokesman Stelios Petsas said on Tuesday....

257. Greek-Turkish exploratory contacts with a deadline

In the wake of last month’s dangerous escalation of tension between Greece and Turkey, the two countries have laid the groundwork for exploratory contacts on the terms and conditions of a possible resumption of a dialogue, with Berlin having played a pivotal role in the rapprochement. ...

258. Stern warning issued to Turkish vessel

Amid heightened tensions, Greek military sources have told Kathimerini that if cables of the Turkish Oruc Reis seismic research vessel touch the Greek continental shelf, Turkey will have the “complete and exclusive” responsibility for what will follow....

259. 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....

260. Greek armed forces on alert over Turkish exploration off Kastellorizo

The Antalya Navtex station on Tuesday announced plans for a Turkish seismic survey south and east of the Greek island of Kastellorizo from July 21-August 2....

261. Cyprus President calls for EU sanctions against Turkey

President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades and the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis addressed the matter of the two countries’ relations with Turkey at the EU Foreign Affairs Council held in Brussels on Friday, with both demanding that additional sanctions are imposed against Turkey....

262. Cyprus Parliament ratifies EastMed pipeline agreement

Cyprus’ House of Representatives ratified on Friday the EastMed natural gas pipeline....

263. Greek-Turkish ties come under strain

The already tense relationship between Greece and Turkey has been strained further in the wake of Ankara’s leaking of a supposedly secret meeting between Greek, Turkish and German officials following Turkey’s controversial decision to convert Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia into a mosque and amid an increasingly aggressive Turkish stance in the East Mediterranean. The already tense relationship between Greece and Turkey has been strained further in the wake of Ankara’s leaking of a supposedly secret meeting between Greek, Turkish and German officials following Turkey’s controversial decision to convert Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia into a mosque and amid an increasingly aggressive Turkish stance in the East Mediterranean. ...

264. It's time for dynamic EU action against Turkey, Greek PM says

Turkey’s repeated violations of Greece and Cyprus’ sovereign rights in the Mediterranean and its “unnecessary and petty” decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia into a mosque “require a comprehensive European response,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Tuesday....

265. As EU mulls sanctions, Turkey defiant

The European Union is seeking ways of imposing sanctions on Turkey in the event that its transgressions in the East Mediterranean are scaled up, and in the wake of its decision to convert Hagia Sophia into a mosque. ...

266. Greece to resume direct flights with the UK from July 15

Greece will start accepting direct flights from the UK from July 15, the country’s government spokesman Stelios Petsas said on Monday. ...

267. 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....

268. 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....

269. 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...

270. 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...