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2401. Guards use tear gas to disperse hundreds of migrants at Greek-Turkish border

Guards on Greece’s northeastern land border with Turkey made “deterrent use” of tear gas to disperse some 500 refugees and migrants trying to enter the country and the European Union after Ankara loosened controls on migrant flows....

2402. Shutting checkpoints not part of the deal, Akinci says

Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci said that unilateral actions by either community for coronavirus protection, such as the closing of checkpoints, had not been agreed upon by the two leaders during the Bicommunal Technical Committee on Health meeting they co-chaired earlier in February, but stressed there is no need for panic....

2403. Greek border crackdown amid concerns over Turkey

Greek government sources on Friday stressed that authorities are boosting security at the country’s border following reports that Turkey will no longer stop Syrian refugees from traveling to Europe....

2404. Two die after hospital fire in north Nicosia, President Anastasiades offers help

A fire broke out at a hospital in north Nicosia, with reports pointing to at least two deaths after officials ordered the evacuation of an entire unit with heart patients...

2405. 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...

2406. Support for solution widespread though many undecided, survey shows

Support for a solution remains strong, contact between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots is at its uppermost level and demand for economic contact between the two communities is high, the latest, the February 2020 Pulse survey showed....

2407. Position on Varosha 'very clear' and unchanged, Security Council President says

The position of the Security Council on Varosha is very clear and has not changed, said Ambassador Marc Pecsteen de Buytswerve, the Permanent Representative of Belgium presiding over the UN body this month....

2408. More Cypriots quarantined in coronavirus scare

More women who traveled to Italy have been quarantined in Cyprus as a precautionary measure, assessed as high risk cases for the coronavirus after coming into contact with confirmed cases...

2409. 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....

2410. 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....

2411. 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....

2412. Christodoulides talks Turkish activity in EEZ, Varosha with UNSG

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

2413. 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....

2414. Cyprus and Norway prepare to sign energy MoU

Cyprus and Norway began preparations on Friday to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on energy issues, that will contain provisions for the exchange of expertise in relation to the national hydrocarbon fund (sovereign fund), among other things....

2415. Pressed in Syria, Turkey ups the ante in the East Med

2416. 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....

2417. 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....

2418. 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....

2419. 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....

2420. Turkish Cypriot ambulance rushes to Nicosia General

A Turkish Cypriot ambulance received police escort in the south on Wednesday, as it was transporting a patient in a medical emergency...

2421. 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. ...

2422. 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....

2423. Disy President holds meeting with Greek FM in Athens

2424. 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....

2425. EIB President in Cyprus to discuss bank’s investment in the country

The European Investment Bank (EIB) President, Werner Hoyer, was in Cyprus on Monday to update President Nicos Anastasiades on recent and future investment on the island, and to review improvements the education sector which has enjoyed significant ECB investment....

2426. 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.”...

2427. CMP recovers remains of one person in Famagusta

The Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) recovered the remains of one person in Famagusta on Friday....

2428. UK refutes Tatar comments over potential UK-north Cyprus flight link

UK, north Cyprus, Tatar, flight, Ercan airport...

2429. 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. ...

2430. 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....