Search

31. Cyprus and France conduct joint search and rescue drill

A joint search and rescue exercise took place on Friday off the coast of Cyprus, with the participation of Cyprus and France...

32. NATO keeps France-Turkey probe under wraps as tempers flare

A NATO investigation into a naval standoff between French and Turkish ships in June has been rated too sensitive to discuss in public and does not apportion blame, as Paris and Ankara wage a war of words, diplomats have told Reuters....

33. Greek PM expected to unveil French defense deal on Saturday

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is due to unveil the details of a defense deal with Paris that was the subject of talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of a European-Mediterranean leaders’ meeting in Corsica on Thursday....

34. 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....

35. Mitsotakis spells out message to Turkey

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called on Turkey to “stop the provocations” in the Eastern Mediterranean and return to the negotiating table in order to resolve disagreements regarding the delimitation of maritime zones...

36. After collision, Athens plans next steps

Greek Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos on Tuesday congratulated the captain of the Greek frigate Limnos that accidentally collided with a Turkish ship during a standoff in the Eastern Mediterranean last week and indicated that Greece is prepared to hold talks with Turkey on the condition that it withdraws its warships and seismic research vessels from the area of the Greek continental shelf...

37. Greek defence minister radios Limnos captain

Greek Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos has congratulated the captain of the Greek frigate that was involved in last week's collision with a Turkish ship in the eastern Mediterranean...

38. Rival warnings keep on in the Mediterranean

Rival warnings continued to be issued over waters in the eastern Mediterranean this weekend, after EU ministers reaffirmed the bloc’s solidarity with Greece and the Republic of Cyprus and Turkey saying it would not “bow to banditry”...

39. 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."...

40. 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....

41. French La Fayette frigate spotted off Larnaca coast

After the two French Rafale fighter jets and the C 180 utility aircraft landed in the National Guard’s ‘Andreas Papandreou’ air base in Paphos, a warship of the French Navy has also arrived in Cyprus....

42. Greek-Turkish exploratory contacts with a deadline

In the wake of last month’s dangerous escalation of tension between Greece and Turkey, the two countries have laid the groundwork for exploratory contacts on the terms and conditions of a possible resumption of a dialogue, with Berlin having played a pivotal role in the rapprochement. ...

43. NAVTEX warnings muddy the waters off Cyprus

Rival navigational warnings and conflicting information about naval exercises in the eastern Mediterranean dominated headlines over the weekend, with Germany appearing to be behind a last-ditch effort to buy time and de-escalate tensions between Greece and Turkey...

44. Cyprus, Greece, France and Italy conduct aeronautical exercise off Limassol

An aeronautical exercise with the participation of units of the Republic of Cyprus, Greece, France and Italy was carried out on Wednesday in the maritime area south of Limassol, in the context of the Defence and Security Cooperation of the four countries....

45. Aegean tension fueling Berlin concern

With Germany assuming the European Union presidency on Wednesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed concern over developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and Greek-Turkish relations in response to questions from MPs in the Bundestag....

46. Athens has four deterrence scenarios over Turkey's drilling plans

In anticipation of a crisis in September, when Turkey says it plans to begin drilling activities in Greece's continental shelf, Athens has elaborated four deterrence plans, while at the same bidding to keep channels of communication open with Ankara....

47. French frigate 'Auvergne' joins Cypriot- French search and rescue drill

Cyprus and France held a joint Search and Rescue (SAR) exercise on Tuesday off the coast of Cyprus, with the participation of SAR Units and personnel of the Republic of Cyprus and France. The French frigate 'Auvergne' also took part in the drill....

48. 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....

49. Anti-aircraft systems activated in joint military exercise with France

French Rafale fighter jets put the capabilities of the Cyprus army’s anti-aircraft umbrella to the test during a joint military exercise on Monday....

50. Italian Navy frigate departs from Larnaca port after joint military exercise

The Italian Navy’s frigate Virginio Fasan departed from the Larnaca port on Tuesday after being docked there from February 8 to 10 as part of patrolling operations in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Italian embassy in Nicosia announced....

51. Cyprus to purchase arms worth €240m from France

Contracts have been signed for the purchase of military equipment worth €240 million from France, Defence Ministry announced on Friday, confirming recent reports in French media....

52. Flagship of French navy off the coast of Limassol

The Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, the flagship of the French navy, sailed through Block 8 of Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone on Thursday, passing alongside the Turkish Yavuz drillship bringing rising tensions to the region....

53. Cyprus rejects Ankara call for a stop to drilling

Nicosia on Thursday rejected a call by Ankara for a halt to drilling activities off the island's south as a precondition for it to stop its own activities off the divided island. ...

54. Serious planning, not tough-guy posturing

55. Greek PM meeting with Macron in Paris

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has arrived in Paris for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace. ...

56. France signals support for Greece

The participation of the Hellenic Navy in the carrier group that will escort the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle on a part of its mission in the Eastern Mediterranean is seen as yet another indication of Athens’ desire to strengthen its ties with Paris. The government also sees the move as French support for Greece in light of the Turkish-Libyan maritime border accord....

57. Cyprus says frigate underlines French support

Cypriot Defence Minister Savvas Angelides says a French frigate within the Cypriot EEZ was not intended to militarize a situation but to show support from France towards the Republic’s sovereign rights...

58. Turkish ships disturb Cypriot waters

Nicosia and Athens are calling on Turkey to back off following Ankara’s decision to send more ships off the southern coast of Cyprus...

59. Macron sends stern warning to Ankara

In a show of solidarity with Cyprus, French President Emmanuel Macron sent a stern message to Turkey on Thursday that Paris and the European Union will not tolerate violations in the Eastern Mediterranean...

60. Britain begins escorting all UK vessels through Hormuz Strait

Britain has started sending a warship to accompany all British-flagged vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, a change in policy announced on Thursday after the government previously said it did not have resources to do so. ...