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2221. EU bans two Turks over drilling off Cyprus

The European Union has imposed sanctions on two Turkish nationals in connection with their company’s drilling activities off Cyprus...

2222. 14 EU countries demand Syria govt, Russia return to 2018 ceasefire deal

Foreign ministers from 14 European countries, including France and Germany, demanded on Wednesday that Syrian government forces and their Russian backers end their offensive in Idlib province and return to the terms of a 2018 ceasefire deal....

2223. Mitsotakis: Turkey-Libya deal a ‘threat’ to states in the region

The agreement on maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean Sea signed between Turkey and Libya’s Tripoli-based government is in violation of international law and poses a threat to other states in the region, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said....

2224. Bulgaria wants in on EastMed energy cooperation

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said on Tuesday that his country wishes to cooperate within the framework of the trilateral mechanism among Cyprus, Greece, and Israel in the energy field, adding that Bulgaria is geographically a natural continuation of these three countries....

2225. Greek and French Defence Ministers declare united front

Greek and French Defence Ministers, Nikos Panagiotopoulos and Florence Parly, denounced Turkey’s illegal actions in the Eastern Mediterranean during their meeting in Athens on Monday....

2226. Greek Government to proceed with new island camps, despite reactions

The Greek government is determined to move ahead with its plan to build new holding facilities for migrants and refugees as part of a plan to accelerate asylum procedures and deportations on the five islands hosting camps, its spokesman said on Tuesday, amid reactions to the scheme from island residents....

2227. Nicosia stabbing sparks migration debate

Debate over crime and migration in the Republic of Cyprus was renewed this week following a video showing the moment a young man was killed in downtown Nicosia as well as statements by officials regarding foreigners on the island...

2228. Woman in the north tests negative for coronavirus

Samples taken from a suspected coronavirus carrier in the north were sent to Turkey for examination, as per the request of the World Health Organization, Turkish Cypriot ‘Health Minister’ Ali Pilli said on Monday. The results came back negative, Turkish Cypriot media reported....

2229. Christodoulides talks Turkish activity in EEZ, Varosha with UNSG

Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Geneva on Monday....

2230. France stands by Greece and Cyprus, says French Defense Minister

France will stand by Greece and Cyprus, supporting both in their disputes with Turkey over maritime zones in the Mediterranean, French Defence Minister Florence Parly was quoted saying in a Greek newspaper on Sunday....

2231. Ex-con under witness protection goes missing

A suspect has been remanded in custody in connection with the disappearance of a Syrian man, who was said to be under witness protection with police fearing the worst...

2232. Nicosia an extremely important partner in region, Norwegian FM says in Cyprus visit

Oslo views Cyprus as an extremely important partner in the region, due to its bridging role between Europe and the Near East, said Ine Soreide, Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs....

2233. Pressed in Syria, Turkey ups the ante in the East Med

2234. Hydrocarbon exploration in Cyprus EEZ on track, minister says

A French-Italian consortium between oil giants Total and ENI will start drilling in Block 6 of Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone on schedule in April despite an “escalation” in tension from Turkey, Cypriot Energy Minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis has said....

2235. Akinci brushes off Varosha talk as election gimmick, Anastasiades calls for bicommunal committee

Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci has suggested that Varosha, a southern suburb of Famagusta that has been fenced off and abandoned since Turkey invaded northern Cyprus, is being used as an election gimmick, adding that he supports UN-backed efforts to reopen the ghost town....

2236. Cavusoglu: Greece must be prepared to share in the East Med

Turkey is willing to reach a compromise with Greece as long as the latter is prepared to share in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday....

2237. Military clash with Syria is imminent, Erdogan says

Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday a Turkish military operation to push back a Syrian government offensive against rebel strongholds in northwest Syria was now “a matter of time” after talks with Russia failed to halt the assault....

2238. Greece, US hold live-fire drill after major base deal

At the foot of Mount Olympus, army aviation forces from Greece and the United States are taking part in a live-fire exercise with attack helicopters, marking deepening defense ties between the two countries....

2239. Erdogan says third Turkish drill ship to begin operations in 2020

Turkey has purchased its third offshore drilling ship which will arrive in Turkey next month, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday, adding that the ship will begin operations in 2020. ...

2240. Port authority crews reportedly harassed by Turkish coast guard off Kastelorizo

The Turkish coast guard reportedly harassed vessels of the Greek port Authority and military as they prepared on Tuesday to collect migrants and refugees on board a dinghy near the islet of Strongyli off the coast of the southeastern Aegean island of Kastelorizo....

2241. Disy President holds meeting with Greek FM in Athens

2242. French Defence Minister expresses solidarity with Cyprus

The French Defence Minister, Florence Parly, who met on Tuesday with President Nicos Anastasiades and her Cyprus counterpart Savvas Angelides, expressed France’s solidarity with Cyprus, which she said is under intense pressure when seen from an international perspective....

2243. Amid tension, Greece, Turkey hold military-to-military talks

A delegation of Turkish military officials is due in Athens to resume confidence-building talks amid tension between the two NATO members over maritime oil-and-gas drilling rights....

2244. Greek-US ties and the East Med

By Lieutenant General Thomas Trask On the occasion of his meeting last month with President Donald Trump in Washington, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis remarked how the US-Greece relationship “is the best it ever was. But it can become even better.”...

2245. House President continues contacts in Australia

President of the House of Representatives Demetris Syllouris continued his contacts in Australia, in the framework of an official visit heading a parliamentary delegation, during which he discussed the Cyprus issue, developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey’s military operations, avoiding double taxation, and bilateral cooperation. ...

2246. UK 'deplores' Turkey's actions in Cyprus EEZ

The British Government’s position regarding the Cyprus issue and Turkey’s activity within the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus does not change now that the UK has exited the European Union, the Minister for Europe Christopher Pincher said. ...

2247. Government welcomes support expressed in US Senate

The Government Spokesman Kyriakos Kousios welcomed on behalf of the Republic of Cyprus the US position that Turkey is the sole party contributing to rising tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, and not Greece or Cyprus....

2248. Athens drafts package to ease tension with Anakara

Athens plans to present a package of proposals to ease Aegean tensions in talks with Ankara on confidence building measures on February 17-21....

2249. Turkish delegation to visit Moscow to discuss Syria's Idlib

A Turkish delegation will go to Moscow in coming days to discuss the escalating conflict in Syria’s Idlib region, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Wednesday, adding that around 1 million people had been displaced there due to Russian-backed Syrian attacks....

2250. Syria displacement is worst since conflict began, UN says

More people have fled fighting in Syria over the past 10 weeks than at any other time in the 9-year-old conflict and the city of Idlib, where many are sheltering, could become a graveyard if hostilities continue, two U.N. agencies said on Tuesday....