Search

2461. Athens and Ankara can settle differences via diplomacy, says Turkey’s presidential spokesman

Greece and Turkey can resolve their differences “within the framework of mutual respect,” Turkey’s presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin has said, however stressing that Ankara will not compromise on its interests in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean....

2462. Sirens mark 1974 Attila operation in Cyprus

Cypriots woke up to the sound of emergency sirens on the island on Monday morning, marking the anniversary of the Turkish military invasion of summer 1974...

2463. 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....

2464. Cyprus announces six new coronavirus cases

The Republic of Cyprus’ Health Ministry announced six new coronavirus cases on Thursday, involving three refugees, a football player, and two contacts of another known case. ...

2465. 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. ...

2466. Berlin bridge-building effort undermined by Ankara

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Tuesday revealed that a secret trilateral meeting between Turkish, German and Greek officials, mediated by Berlin, took place ahead of the European Union Foreign Affairs Council on Monday in the wake of Turkey’s controversial decision to convert Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia into a mosque. ...

2467. Cyprus among five countries that present UNSG with note verbale on Tukey-Libya MoU

Cyprus, Bahrain, Egypt, Greece and Saudi Arabia have presented a note verbale to the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterrres, outlining the reasons why the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Government of the Republic of Turkey and the Government of National Accord of Libya on the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas in the Mediterranean in Istanbul on 27 November 2019 should not be registered by the UN Secretariat in the list of international treaties....

2468. Turkey issues Navtex in Cyprus’ EEZ

Turkey has issued a new Navigational Telex (Navtex), reserving a maritime area within Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for drilling activities, Greece's Skai reported on Wednesday....

2469. Health ministry issues decree for asylum seekers

The health ministry has issued a new decree requiring all asylum seekers who are ordered to stay in migrant camps to be tested for COVID-19 before checking in...

2470. Wailing sirens mark 1974 coup in Cyprus

Emergency sirens sounded all over the island of Cyprus on Wednesday morning, marking the anniversary of the military coup of 1974...

2471. 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....

2472. Presidents of Cyprus, Greece discuss escalating Turkish provocations

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Greece’s President Katerina Sakellaropoulou held their first meeting in Athens on Tuesday, focusing the discussion on Turkey’s actions in the region and the close ties between the two countries....

2473. Anastasiades lauds France as a pillar of stability in EastMed region

In a period of immense challenges and illegal actions, the presence of the French naval force in the broader geographical region tangibly proves the readiness and determination of France to act as a pillar of stability in the region, while it sends a clear message to those who aim at escalating tensions by acting in an unacceptable way, Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades said Monday....

2474. 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. ...

2475. EU to discuss new names for further sanctions against Turkey

EU Foreign Ministers agreed at the Foreign Affairs Council held Monday in Brussels that the Working Party of Foreign Relations Counsellors (RELEX) that convenes on Thursday should discuss imposing further sanctions against Turkey in view of its provocations in the Cyprus EEZ....

2476. UNSG report on his good offices in Cyprus obtained by Kathimerini Cyprus

The 39-page advance copy of the Report of the UN Secretary-General on his mission of good offices in Cyprus was obtained by Kathimerini Cyprus....

2477. Christodoulides, Dendias discuss Turkey with Borrell on sidelines of EU meeting

Relations between the European Union and Turkey were at the center of talks Monday between the bloc’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and his Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides....

2478. Harsh words for Turkey from archbishop

Archbishop of Cyprus Chrysostomos has slammed Turkey over the country’s decision to allow Hagia Sophia to revert from museum back to mosque status, accusing Turks of having no respect for the civilized world...

2479. Turkish court rules to let Hagia Sophia return as mosque

2480. Divided Cyprus reacts to Hagia Sophia

Cyprus has weighed in on Turkey’s controversial decision to allow Muslim prayer inside Hagia Sophia, with different reactions across the divided island and amid reports of nuanced differences in President Erdogan's statements in two different languages...

2481. Only through dialogue can the Mediterranean regain stability, Borrell says

The Mediterranean can be a more secure and stable zone only through dialogue, the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said at the European Parliament’s plenary session on Turkey in Brussels. ...

2482. Health Minister alarmed over Belgium's inclusion of Cyprus in 'orange' travel zone

Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou on Thursday expressed surprise over Belgium’s inclusion of Cyprus in its elevated risk zone for travel....

2483. Turkey reacts to US plan for military education, training for Cyprus

Turkey expressed its disagreement over a US government plan to make International Military Education and Training (IMET) available to Cyprus, saying it does not help resolve the island’s division....

2484. US to include Cyprus in army programme

The American Embassy in Nicosia says the United States are looking forward to expanding their military education and training programmes to include Cyprus, with plans to introduce professional and technical courses in 2021...

2485. Anastasiades fires back at Turkish FM's 'insolent' comments

Our task is to achieve the suspension of Turkey’s unbridled ambition to impose its own version of international law in order to serve its expansionist policies, President Nicos Anastasiades said Tuesday in response to what he described as “insolent” statements issued by the Turkish Foreign Minister on Monday....

2486. Turkey warns it will respond if EU takes fresh measures against it

Turkey will respond with its own steps if the European Union imposes further sanctions on Ankara, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday after meeting the EU’s top diplomat....

2487. Berlin to press Ankara over drilling plans for East Med

Berlin plans to play an active role, in the context of Germany's presidency of the European Council, in easing tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean where Turkey plans to expand its exploration for oil and gas in contravention of Greek and Cypriot exclusive economic zones...

2488. Moratorium on energy plans would be the end of Cyprus' energy prospects, Lakkotrypis says

Outgoing Energy Minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis told Kathimerini Cyprus that a moratorium on the Republic’s energy plans due to internal or external instabilities would mean the end of any energy prospects for the country....

2489. Anastasiades: Patriotic realism dictates solution through diplomacy, not weapons

Instead of a catastrophic scenario, we opt for diplomacy, the weapons of international law and Cyprus’ status as an EU member state. This is what is dictated by patriotic realism and rationalism, and not a rhetoric of empty slogans. The coming days are crucial as regards initiatives taken by the EU and the US in view of preventing a potential crisis through targeted measures towards Turkey....

2490. Cyprus and Greece FMs discuss ways of dealing with Turkey

Cyprus Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides paid an official visit to Greece on Friday to meet with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias....