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2491. UNFICYP mandate extended for another six months

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has recommended that the Security Council extends UNFICYP’s mandate until January 31, 2020 in recognition of its continued contribution to the maintenance of peace and stability. ...

2492. No preliminary agreement on EU sanctions on Turkey

According to a diplomatic source that informed the press in Brussels the discussion on EU sanctions against Turkey will continue Thursday afternoon, as today there was no agreement...

2493. Lukewarm reaction to EU sanctions on Turkey

2494. Syrians trapped at Ercan head to Turkey

Turkish Cypriot officials say Ankara has decided to host 50 Syrians who have been trapped in Ercan airport due to visa issues...

2495. US urges Turkey to halt drilling operations off Cyprus

The United States has said that Turkey's most recent dispatch of the drillship Yavuz to conduct drilling operations off the Karpas Peninsula of Cyprus is a "provocative step" and has urged Turkish authorities to halt these operations. ...

2496. Bloomberg: EU to cut aid to Turkey over Cyprus EEZ violations

Bloomberg's Viktoria Dendrinou and Nikos Chrysoloras report that the European Union is considering suspending most high-level contacts with Turkey and cut the flow of funds in protest of the Turkish drilling activities in the Cyprus EEZ. ...

2497. UK opposes Turkish drilling plans off Cyprus, calls for de-escalation

London opposes Turkish drilling plans off Cyprus and calls for de-escalation, noting that disputes such as this are resolved through dialogue...

2498. Swiss FM to convey message to Turkey

Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides and his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis who is visiting Cyprus discussed on Tuesday the latest developments on the Cyprus issue and the Turkish provocations in Cyprus' EEZ. ...

2499. EU High Representative warns Turkey over new drilling operation off Cyprus

The EU High Representative Federica Mogherini warned on Monday Turkey over its intended new drilling operation at the northeast of Cyprus, recalling that Turkey`s continued actions have a serious negative impact across the range of EU-Turkey relations and that "as mandated by the European Council, the Commission and the EEAS are about to present options to the Council for appropriate measures." ...

2500. Mitsotakis sworn in as PM amid east Med tensions

Conservative politician Kyriakos Mitsotakis was sworn in as Greece’s new prime minister on Monday after storming to victory on a pledge to create jobs and lure investment to the economically stricken nation...

2501. Second Turkish drillship arrives off Cyprus

A second Turkish drillship arrived on Monday off the coast of Cyprus just south of Karpas peninsula...

2502. Turkey issues Navtex for exercises off Kastellorizo on Sunday

Turkey has issued a navigational telex reserving a large area south of the island of Kastellorizo, within Greece's continental shelf, for military exercises on Sunday as Greeks go to general elections...

2503. Turkish sub shows up in the north

The Turkish submarine “Gur” is anchored at Kyrenia port in the north, with media drawing on reports in connection with drilling activities in the eastern Mediterranean...

2504. Cyprus takes legal action against firms encroaching its exclusive economic zone

Cyprus has initiated legal proceedings against three companies involved in gas drilling by Turkey to the west of the island for encroaching on the island’s continental shelf, a senior foreign ministry official said on Tuesday...

2505. Bloomberg: Turkey stockpiles weapon parts in anticipation of US sanctions

Turkey has been stockpiling parts for F-16 fighter jets and other military hardware in anticipation of American sanctions, Bloomberg has reported, citing two Turkish officials familiar with their country’s defense strategy. ...

2506. Cyprus should not be on the list of countries not getting US arms

In 1987, the US Department of State placed the Republic of Cyprus on a list of countries to which sales and transfers of defense articles and services is prohibited under the International Trade in Arms Regulations (ITAR). ...

2507. North gears up for mobile link-up with south

Turkish Cypriots are gearing up ahead of a much-awaited linkage of cellular networks between north and south, which could bring down costs considerably for local users...

2508. 'No reason to panic' over stray missile

Turkish Cypriot officials confirmed Monday that they believe a part of a Russian-made S200 missile reached Cyprus early morning and caused multiple explosions, while a team of Turkish experts is traveling to the island to conduct tests...

2509. Late night explosion shocks Cyprus

A very loud explosion was heard Sunday night in the north, just after midnight, with authorities scrambling to deal with an ensuing fire and speculation running rampant on social media...

2510. Nicosia expects UN to maintain position on Varosha based on Security Council decisions

The government said on Friday that it expected from the UN to maintain their long-standing position with regard to the ghost-town of Famagusta, that is consistent with the UN Security Council decisions which are explicit and are now blatantly violated through the announcement made in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus...

2511. Playing with fire

The emerging crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean over Turkey’s drilling activities in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) raise the prospect of an open Greco-Turkish conflict to a level higher than anytime since the Imia crisis...

2512. US Senate votes to lift Cyprus arms embargo

The US Senate on Thursday voted to lift a decades-old arms embargo against Cyprus and to cut Turkey off the American F-35 fighter jet program if it proceeds with the acquisition of the Russian S-400 missile defense system...

2513. Cyprus strongly protests to UN over airspace and sea violations by Turkey

Cyprus has strongly protested to the UN the violations of its national airspace, the infringements of international air traffic regulations in Cyprus’s flight information region and the illegal use of closed ports and airports in Cyprus by Turkey...

2514. US bill calls for end to Russian military vessels refueling in Cyprus

The Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act of 2019 would allow the U.S. to fully support the trilateral partnership of Israel, Greece, and Cyprus through energy and defense cooperation initiatives...

2515. US Senate Foreign Relations committee advances East Med Act

2516. 'I speak the language of international law', Tsipras tells Erdogan

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras underlined on Tuesday that he speaks the language of international law, the language of rationalism, truth and determination....

2517. UK F35 jets fly first sorties out of Cyprus

The UK’s newest and most advanced generation of fighter jet, the Lightning F-35B, has completed its first operational missions to Syria and Iraq, as part of the ongoing fight against Daesh, following a successful training period in Cyprus, UK Defence Secretary, Penny Mordaunt said during a visit she paid to the British Bases in Cyprus....

2518. The last supper

2519. UK Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt in Cyprus for talks

2520. Rising tensions in the Aegean