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1681. Cypriot FM visits Gulf before US inauguration

Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides flew to the United Arab Emirates on Monday to hold a private meeting with his counterpart, days after the two countries signed a military cooperation agreement but also days before a changing of the guard in Washington could spell trouble for US arms sales to Gulf states...

1682. Smoothening the cliff edge in EU-UK relations

The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) between the United Kingdom and the European Union came into effect on January 1, 2021, capping a tumultuous four-and-a-half-year period since the shocking result of the July 2016 Brexit referendum, in which 51.9% of the British voters voted in favor of leaving the EU. Subject to the delayed assent of the European Parliament, this UK-EU free trade agreement (FTA) extends zero-tariff and quota-free trade in goods between the two economic areas....

1683. Anastasiades invites National Council to informal Cyprob summit

President Anastasiades briefed the National Council on Thursday on the latest developments in the Cyprus Problem, and extended an invitation to Council members to accompany him on the informal meeting the UN is organising, that is expected to take place in New York in late February or early May....

1684. Cyprus puts national minimum wage on hold until full employment

The Cyprus government will launch a social dialogue for the implementation of the national minimum wage when full employment is reached, namely when unemployment is around 5%....

1685. Spehar meets leaders ahead of UNFICYP mandate renewal

The UN Secretary General’s Special Representative Elizabeth Spehar held tête-à-têtes with the leaders of the two communities on Wednesday morning ahead of the Security Council’s upcoming vote on the renewal of UNFICYP’s mandate....

1686. Turkey and Greece to resume talks

Turkey and Greece will resume talks aimed at reducing tensions between the neighbors on Jan. 25, Turkish and Greek officials announced Monday, following this summer’s dispute over maritime borders and energy rights in the eastern Mediterranean...

1687. Five-party meeting within eyeshot

UN special envoy Jane Holl Lute on Monday got both leaders of divided Cyprus to commit to the possibility of informal talks as early as next month, with local media on both sides noting the lack of an official statement from the global organization...

1688. Cyprus, Portugal agree to take ties to next level

Cyprus Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides paid an official visit to Portugal’s capital on Thursday for a tête-à-tête with his Portuguese counterpart Augusto Santos Silva on the occasion of Portugal’s assumption of the presidency of the Council of the European Union on January 1....

1689. Cyprus, US sign Declaration of Intent on border security

Cyprus and the USA signed on Tuesday a Declaration of Intent on strengthening cooperation on border security issues, in view of enhancing their capacity to counter common threats and foster stability in the region. ...

1690. Lute set to visit Cyprus anew by mid-January

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Cyprus, Jane Holl Lute, is expected to visit the island anew during the first half of January in view of holding meetings with the leaders of the two sides as preparations continue toward the organisation of an informal conference on the Cyprus problem....

1691. A timeline of the coronavirus pandemic in Cyprus

The coronavirus pandemic in Cyprus, which kicked off mildly at first with double-digit daily new cases before the second wave sent the island into unprecedented terrain with hundreds of daily new cases and the healthcare system ready to give in at any given time, can be generally divided into four stages. ...

1692. Cyprus won’t extradite Russian woman with MG

The Supreme Court in the Republic of Cyprus has refused to extradite a Russian woman citing her health condition, saying Moscow failed to convince local authorities that the individual would not face mistreatment if she would be extradited...

1693. The Greek scientist developing 6G

At the moment Greece is unveiling the 5G communications network, on the opposite end of Europe, a Greek professor, a communications engineer, is getting a grant from the European Research Council to develop 6G....

1694. Cyprus calls on Egypt to assist in persuading Turkey to shift intransigent stance

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades has asked the Egyptian government to exert every effort towards persuading Turkey to alter its intransigent stance and to reverse its unilateral and provocative actions, in view of ultimately easing of tensions in a consistent and sustained manner, allowing the cultivation of a climate that is conducive to facilitating the resumption of the peace process....

1695. Turkey at risk of extended sanctions by March, EU source tells Kathimerini

Ankara could be slapped with more European sanctions depending on the findings of an evaluation report on Turkey expected by March, a senior diplomatic official has told Kathimerini on condition of anonymity....

1696. New Chinese Ambassador hails deepening relations with Cyprus

China opposes any unilateral provocations and actions that undermine the peace and stability of Cyprus and the region and as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, it will continue to play a constructive and coordinating role in facilitating the settlement of the Cyprus problem, UNFICYP’s mandate renewal, and the implementation of relevant UN resolutions, to uphold fairness and justice for Cypriots, China's new Ambassador to Cyprus, Liu Yantao said, presenting on Thursday his credentials to Cyrpus President, Nicos Anastasiades....

1697. Dendias warns against appeasing Turkey

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias says the European Union should have shown more determination in taking decisions regarding Turkey, breaking ranks with Cyprus’ president who said he was fully satisfied with EC conclusions...

1698. 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....

1699. 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...

1700. 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....

1701. President Anastasiades travels to Brussels ahead of European Council

1702. Past week was the worst epidemiologically since outbreak

Health minister Constantinos Ioannou was the bearer of unpleasant news on Tuesday, announcing that the current epidemiological situation doesn’t appear to leave room for the planned relaxation of measures from December 14....

1703. 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. ...

1704. 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...

1705. 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....

1706. 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...

1707. Cyprus revises travel rules for vaccinated passengers

An inter-ministerial committee set up to spearhead the gradual resumption of flights agreed on an updated action plan on Thursday that allows those passengers who have been vaccinated against coronavirus to be exempted from the requirement of showing proof of a negative test....

1708. EU warns against easing pandemic-containing measures

As millions of European citizens gear up for the festive season, the European Union's executive commission urged member countries to keep strong anti-Covid-19 restrictions in place to avoid a post-holiday surge of coronavirus cases and deaths but stopped short of advising against travel....

1709. 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....

1710. 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....