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901. Pompeo’s visit prompted by Turkey’s S-400s

The indications that Turkey activated the radars of its Russian-made S-400 anti-aircraft systems in order to detect US-made Greek F-16 fighter jets on their return from the Eunomia exercise on August 27 off Cyprus apparently sounded the alarm in Washington about the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and reportedly prompted the visits by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Cyprus on September 12 and Greece on September 27-29. ...

902. Pompeo sees window of opportunity for dialogue, in Kathimerini interview

In an interview with Kathimerini, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo deplores the use of threats and unilateral actions as a way of resolving bilateral disputes, sending a clear signal to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan....

903. Cyprus weighs in on Armenia-Azerbaijan

Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides has spoken with his Armenian counterpart, calling on all sides involved in Nagorno-Karabakh to resolve the conflict diplomatically while also accusing Azerbaijan of violating a fragile truce...

904. Cyprus-Israel military exercise wraps up successfully

A joint Cyprus-Isreal military exercise dubbed ‘Iason 2020’ was successfully completed late on Wednesday night, an announcement by the Cyprus defence ministry said....

905. Turkey accuses Greece of treaty violations

Turkey has issued a navigational telex to mariners accusing Greece of violating the Lausanne Treaty by militarizing the Greek island of Chios just 10 miles from a Turkish port...

906. Cyprus defends blocking migrant boats

A police task force from the Republic of Cyprus is hoping to hash out a plan with Lebanese authorities to deter “economic migrants” from traveling to the island, as government and state officials rush to respond to criticism over a decision to send back undocumented migrants to the neighbouring country...

907. Joint Cyprus-UK SAR exercise conducted off Limassol

The first Cyprus-UK joint search and rescue exercise in 2020 was successfully conducted off the coast of Limassol on Monday, a press release by the British High Commission said....

908. EU ‘very clear’ on expectations from Turkey for de-escalation

The message, the expectations, the timeline and the consequences of not acting towards a de-escalation of tension in the Eastern Mediterranean were “made clear” to Turkey, both via the informal Foreign Affairs Council last week in Berlin and in the telephone call on Monday between EU High Representative Josep Borrell and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, according to EU foreign policy spokesman Peter Stano....

909. Old rivalries continue in eastern Mediterranean

Greece has issued a competing navigational telex after Turkey extended seismic surveys in the eastern Mediterranean, with no signs between the two NATO allies of burying the hatchet over old rivalries that continue to this day...

910. Greece starts more training exercises amid Turkey tension

Greece and the United Arab Emirates have begun joint air force training exercises in the eastern Mediterranean, in the latest build-up of military forces in the region where Greece and Turkey are at odds over seabed mineral rights....

911. Six Greek F-16s participated in joint drill off Cyprus

Six Greek F-16 fighter jets participated on Thursday in joint military exercises with Cyprus, France and Italy in the Eastern Mediterranean....

912. Greece to extend territorial waters amid dispute with Turkey

Turkey’s president warned Greece on Wednesday not to test his country’s patience or courage as the NATO allies remained locked in a tense dispute over offshore energy exploration in the eastern Mediterranean, while Greece announced plans to extend its territorial waters along its western coastline....

913. French and Greek fighter jets at Paphos air base

Joint aeronautical exercises featuring the militaries of Greece, France, and Cyprus are set to take place from Wednesday until Friday off the west coast of Cyprus is set to send a strong response to Turkey’s activities in the eastern Mediterranean....

914. NAVTEX wars continue in east Med

Athens has issued an advisory to mariners concerning Greek air and naval forces conducting exercises in an area that overlaps with the one reserved by Ankara in a similar advisory issued on Sunday...

915. France and Germany tackle eastern Med

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel made statements seen as mutual support for Greece and the Republic of Cyprus on Thursday, prompting a reaction from Ankara...

916. Greek and Turkish warships in 'mini collision,' says defense source

A Greek and a Turkish warship were involved in a mini-collision on Wednesday during a standoff in the eastern Mediterranean, a Greek defense source said, describing it as an "accident."...

917. Ankara responds to Greek warnings

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan says an attack on Oruc Reis in the eastern Mediterranean would incur a “high price” while at the same time calling for a win-win solution through dialogue...

918. Amid tensions with Turkey, Greece in joint manoeuvres with France

Amid ongoing tensions with Turkey over disputed waters in the eastern Mediterranean, the French military conducted training exercises with Greek forces on Thursday off the southern island of Crete, including in the maritime area reserved by Turkey’s Navtex earlier this month for seismic exploration....

919. Athens warns of possible 'accident' in East Med

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wednesday warned about the possibility of an "accident" in the Eastern Mediterranean where Greek and Turkish naval forces have gathered after Ankara decided to sent a vessel to conduct seismic research south of Kastellorizo...

920. Relief donations reach Beirut on vessel, chartered flight

The first batch of foodstuffs donated by the Cyprus public as relief for the people of Beirut, whose lives were overturned by the deadly blast in a port area on August 4, arrived on the Greek ferry ‘Ikaria’ on Tuesday night and is set to be unloaded on Wednesday....

921. Turkey says Greece making a ‘big fuss’

Ankara has accused Athens of having “no legal basis” for raising objections over Turkish exploration in the eastern Mediterranean, as Greek armed forces were placed on high alert Monday after Turkey sent a seismic survey vessel in contested waters...

922. Turkey issues yet another Navtex as vessel moves into Greek EEZ

Turkey has responded to a Greek navigational telex (Navtex) issued earlier Monday with an advisory saying that three Turkish research vessels are “conducting seismic survey in Turkey’s continental shelf… in accordance with international law.”...

923. Regional tensions flare up anew as Turkey issues new Navtex

924. Beirut calls off search and rescue

The Cypriot rescue mission in Beirut was on its way back to the island after Lebanon shifted its search and rescue focus to recovery, while world leaders including Anastasiades pledged aid amid violent protests over the weekend. ...

925. Stern warning issued to Turkish vessel

Amid heightened tensions, Greek military sources have told Kathimerini that if cables of the Turkish Oruc Reis seismic research vessel touch the Greek continental shelf, Turkey will have the “complete and exclusive” responsibility for what will follow....

926. Greece ‘overreacted’ to Turkish research mission, Erdogan spokesman says

Ibrahim Kalin, spokesman of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said Thursday that Greece had “overreacted” to plans by Turkey to proceed with an oil-and-gas research mission south of Greek islands in the Eastern Mediterranean....

927. Armed Forces source: ‘Situation unchanged’ near Kastellorizo

The situation “remain unchanged” in the sea area near the Greek island of Kastellorizo on Wednesday for which Turkey issued a Navtex on Tuesday for seismic activities in an area of sea between Cyprus and Crete, according to a source from the Hellenic National Defense General Staff (GEETHA)....

928. Leaders of Cyprus, Greece coordinate response to new regional instabilities

The President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades shared a telephone conversation with the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wednesday to discuss ongoing regional developments in view of the navtex issued by Tukey on Tuesday announcing plans for seismic surveys is an area of sea between Cyprus and Crete....

929. Greek armed forces on alert over Turkish exploration off Kastellorizo

The Antalya Navtex station on Tuesday announced plans for a Turkish seismic survey south and east of the Greek island of Kastellorizo from July 21-August 2....

930. Evaluating and learning from the pandemic response

The COVID-19 pandemic is testing the strengths and exposing the weaknesses of governments, defence, security forces and the private sector in their crisis preparedness and response. In order for future responses to be more robust and resilient, governments will need to understand how these actors collaborate and map leadership priorities...