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1231. Turkey fires back at Akinci claims

Turkish diplomats in north Nicosia have denied allegations made by incumbent Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, who recently said he had received threats and insults while on the campaign trail...

1232. A historic verdict and a more united Greece

The Greek justice system rose to the occasion and delivered a historic verdict that also confirms Greece’s image as a free democracy governed by the rule of law. Behind the voters’ rejection of Golden Dawn and the party’s condemnation by the institutions lies a good deal of human suffering – the agony of a mother whose child was murdered, but also of so many others who suffered violence and humiliation at the hands of the criminal organization....

1233. Famagustians protest reopening of Varosha

Hundreds of Famagusta residents gathered just after 5pm on Thursday at the Deryneia crossing to protest the reopening of Varosha’s beach strip on Thursday, demanding the return of the town to its lawful inhabitants and the full implementation of UN resolutions governing the future of the town that was abandoned after 1974 conflict....

1234. Greek, Turkish foreign ministers meet as tensions ease

The foreign ministers of Greece and Turkey have met on the sidelines of a conference in Slovakia and agreed to set a date for the start of a new round of exploratory talks between the two, officials said Wednesday....

1235. Cyprus the focus of a Biden administration, Carpenter says

A Biden administration would hopefully put Cyprus at the forefront of its efforts for peacebuilding in the eastern Mediterranean region, Michael Carpenter, managing director of the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement, has said on The Greek Current podcast of The Hellenic American Leadership Council....

1236. EY Cyprus Platinum Sponsor at first Cyprus Forum

1237. Nicosia in the midst of diplomatic marathon over Varosha

Ersin Tatar’s descent upon Ankara but also the intense rumours regarding a reopening of the coastal front of the fenced-off city of Varosha have over the past days mobilized Nicosia....

1238. It is up to Turkey to ‘open path’ to solution, says Greek PM

Greece welcomes a “first step” from Turkey towards the de-escalation of tension, “but whether it is a sincere move or a temporary maneuver remains to be seen,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Tuesday, following talks in Athens with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg....

1239. Spanish FM stresses solidarity with Cyprus, importance of dialogue

Spain’s Foreign Affairs Minister Arancha González Laya expressed her country’s solidarity and support for Cyprus in the face of tensions with Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean....

1240. Chaos reigns in first Trump-Biden debate

President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden battled fiercely over Trump’s record on the coronavirus pandemic, healthcare and the economy in a chaotic and bad-tempered first debate marked by personal insults and Trump’s repeated interruptions...

1241. Greek President stresses solidarity with Cyprus

President Katerina Sakellaropoulou on Monday underlined the unity and solidarity between Greece and Cyprus in the face of Turkish provocations during a two-day official visit to Nicosia....

1242. Parliament passes bills to streamline asylum procedures

The House on Friday passed three amendments to the Refugee Law, streamlining asylum procedures....

1243. France stands behind Cyprus, defends sanctions against Turkey

The EU must be ready to activate all its tools, including sanctions, against Turkey, French State Secretary for European Affairs Clément Beaune said Friday during a visit to Cyprus....

1244. 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....

1245. 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...

1246. 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. ...

1247. Maltese FM calls for EU solidarity with frontline countries

Acting President of the Republic, President of the House of Representatives, Demetris Syllouris received Malta’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Evarist Bartolo on Friday, who called for more EU solidarity with frontline countries....

1248. 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....

1249. Period for filing appeals against asylum service decisions slashed

The Cyprus Parliament on Friday amended the constitution to allow for a slashing of the time in which appeals can be filed against decisions of the asylum service from 75 days to 15 days....

1250. 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...

1251. Golden passports scheme to remain as is

The citizenship-by-investment program will not be terminated, nor will it be suspended for a short period as a way of managing the crisis developing crisis, the government decided during its Tuesday morning coffee at the Presidential Palace. What was strongly tabled was that a potential freezing or termination of the investment program at this point in time would send a message that the government is acting in light of the Al Jazeera publications, and that by extension, that it accepts them....

1252. Fierce battle over ‘Cyprus papers’

A fierce battle over documents has began following Al Jazeera’s “Cyprus papers” on golden passports, with the audit office demanding to examine specific files and the interior ministry refusing to hand them over...

1253. 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....

1254. House President calls for suspension of 'golden passports' scheme

House President Demetris Syllouris has formally suggested to President Nicos Anastasiades that the Cyprus citizenship-by-investment scheme is paused until decisions for its improvement or even complete termination are taken, and called for a meeting of party leaders to discuss the scheme that has recently attracted international attention after a document leak led to a series of articles and videos published by the media network Al Jazeera....

1255. 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....

1256. Borrell to present options for sanctions against Turkey at Gymnich

The European Commission confirmed Tuesday that the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell is set to present a list of potential options for sanctions against Turkey during the Gymnich in Berlin on Thursday, with all options expected to be discussed by the 27 EU leaders during a summit in September....

1257. 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....

1258. Nicosia, Athens set tone for Turkey response

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said on Tuesday that the Cyprus problem remained at the top of his country’s agenda during a visit on the island, with his Cypriot counterpart calling on the European Union to use a carrot-and-stick approach towards Turkey...

1259. Greek FM makes impromptu visit to Cyprus

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias is on a surprise one-day trip to the Republic of Cyprus on Tuesday for talks with his Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides...

1260. Biden in hot water over Turkey comments

US presidential candidate and presumptive nominee for the Democrats, Joe Biden, is in hot water over old comments he made about Turkey’s Erdogan, after a video surfaced just days before the launch of the Democratic National Convention...