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1831. 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....

1832. EU leaders pull Turkey punch at last minute

European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to prepare limited sanctions on Turkish individuals over an energy exploration dispute with Greece and Cyprus, postponing any harsher steps until March as countries sparred over how to handle Ankara...

1833. EU leaders weigh sanctions over Turkey’s Med drilling

Concerned that their credibility is at stake, European Union leaders are set Thursday to give the green light to the expansion of sanctions against Turkey over its exploration of gas reserves in Mediterranean waters claimed by EU members Greece and Cyprus....

1834. EU to toughen sanctions on Turkish drilling, draft summit statement says

The European Union will impose sanctions on more Turkish individuals and companies responsible for drilling in contested waters in the Mediterranean, according to a draft statement prepared for EU leaders to agree at a summit on Thursday....

1835. 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...

1836. 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....

1837. President Anastasiades travels to Brussels ahead of European Council

1838. 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. ...

1839. Chloraka murder suspects in custody

Two remaining suspects in a Chloraka murder earlier this year have been ordered in remanded custody in the south, after they were handed over by Turkish Cypriot authorities in the north following their extradition from Turkey...

1840. 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...

1841. Turkey ‘threatening peace', Greek FM says during Cyprus visit

By its continuing actions in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey is “threatening peace, security and stability” in the region, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said on Friday during a visit to Nicosia....

1842. 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....

1843. Greek foreign minister drops by Nicosia

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias is visiting the Republic of Cyprus on Friday, here he will meet with his counterpart and the country’s president ahead of an upcoming EU Foreign Affairs Council with a focus on Turkey...

1844. Cyprus calls on Turkey to engage in maritime zone delimitation talks

In an interview with the UAE television channel Alarabiya, defence minister Charalambos Petrides called on Turkey to accept the Republic of Cyprus’ invitation to engage in talks in view of reaching an agreement over the delimitation of the contested maritime zones between the two countries, or alternatively refer the issue to the International Court of Justice....

1845. 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....

1846. Lute gets Cypriot nod for five-party talks

UN special envoy Jane Holl Lute met separately on Tuesday with the two Cypriot leaders, who said they were open to a possible five-party informal meeting but expressed diametrically opposite views on solving the Cyprus Problem...

1847. Turkey part of EU agenda on ‘reinvigorating’ ties with US

Restoring stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and a “coordinated approach” to Turkey are among the issues outlined by the European Commission in an internal document on how to “renew and reinvigorate” transatlantic relations under the incoming US administration of Joe Biden....

1848. Turkish exploration vessel back in port ahead of EU summit

Turkey’s seismic exploration vessel Oruc Reis returned to port on Monday from disputed Mediterranean waters, less than two weeks before a European Union summit where the bloc will evaluate possible sanctions against Ankara....

1849. Turks reject European resolution on Varosha

Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot administration have criticized a European Parliament vote on Varosha, saying the EPP resolution ignores Turkish Cypriots on the island and 'unjustly' accuses Turkey...

1850. France, EU lawmakers push for sanctions on Turkey next month

France is leading a push for European Union sanctions on Turkey next month to follow through on a threat made by the bloc in October, but has yet to win support from EU governments beyond Greece and Cyprus, officials and diplomats said. ...

1851. EU Parliament approves amendment for sanctions against Turkey

For the first time, the European Parliament on Thursday voted by a large majority in favour of the strict imposition of sanctions against Turkey, adopting the amendment tabled by the delegations of Greece and Cyprus....

1852. Cyprus, Greece coordinate ahead of EUCO summit

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Greek Premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke on the phone on Tuesday evening to coordinate their actions in light of the upcoming EUCO meeting in December and the visit of the UN envoy Jane Hall Lute to Cyprus for consultations with the leaders of the two communities....

1853. Erdogan says Greeks behind raid on ship

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Wednesday suggested Greece and Cyprus were behind the interception of a Turkish vessel by German soldiers on behalf of a European Union mission off the Libyan coast late Sunday...

1854. Cyprus rationalizes sanctions against Turkey

Cypriot Defence Minister Charalambos Petrides has reiterated his country’s position in seeking a settlement of the Cyprus problem, adding that economic sanctions against Ankara remain on the table 'as long as Turkey continues to maintain tensions'...

1855. Tactical moves by Ankara before EU summit

The anticipated suspension on November 29 of the activities of the Oruc Reis seismic vessel within parts of the Greek continental shelf after having scanned the entire area it had reserved since August is being touted by Ankara as a goodwill move ahead of the European Council in December 10-11, where one of the main topics of discussion will be the possibility of imposing sanctions on Turkey over its behavior in the Eastern Mediterranean. ...

1856. 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....

1857. Greece, UAE commit to mutual defense assistance

The mutual defense assistance clause, activated in the event that one of the two countries’ territorial integrity is threatened, is probably the most important part of the defense and foreign policy cooperation agreement signed by Greece and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last week, according to sources with inside information....

1858. Biden key pick emerges

US president-elect Joe Biden is expected to nominate veteran diplomat Antony Blinken as his secretary of state, making good on a promise to restore EU-US relations and take a more active role on the global stage but also planting many unknowns in regards to Turkey...

1859. ‘No going back’ on Varosha decision

Over 200 Varosha property owners are seeking to return to the divided island’s most popular ghost town, with Turkish Cypriots appearing ready to address Greek Cypriot grievances with or without a solution to the Cyprus problem, adding there is “no going back” on the plan to open the abandoned city...

1860. Turkey’s behavior ‘widening its separation’ from EU, Borrell says

Turkey’s rhetoric on Cyprus is aggravating tensions with the European Union and Ankara must understand that its behavior is “widening its separation” from the 27-nation bloc, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Thursday....