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181. 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....

182. 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...

183. 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...

184. 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.”...

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

186. North commemorates Tylliria bombing

Busloads of Turkish Cypriots crossed into Cyprus’ “other ghost town” on Saturday to commemorate Turkish bombing in Tylliria during intercommunal clashes on the island in 1964, but the gathering was not without political controversy...

187. Cyprus-France defence cooperation agreement comes into force

An announcement by the Cyprus Presidency on Thursday officially marked the initiation of a defence cooperation agreement between Cyprus and France, with particular focus on military and energy areas....

188. Cyprus calls for EU task force on island

The European Union must do more to fill a power vacuum in the eastern Mediterranean brought on by a perceived US disengagement from the region, and Cyprus is ready to host an EU task force to achieve that goal, the island nation's foreign minister said Wednesday...

189. Beirut blast has eerie connections to Cyprus

Following Tuesday’s deadly explosion in Lebanon, some eerie connections began to emerge in Cyprus, including a Russian national based in Limassol and a Hezbollah-related arrest on the island back in 2015...

190. Death toll rises in Beirut

Over 100 people were killed and thousands wounded in a massive explosion that shook the Lebanese capital on Tuesday, with sound waves of the deadly blast reaching as far as Cyprus...

191. 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...

192. 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....

193. 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....

194. 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....

195. Cyprus Defence Minister stresses need for EU naval presence in EastMed

Cyprus Defence Minister Savvas Angelides briefed his EU counterparts on Tuesday on Turkey’s ongoing activities in the Republic of Cyprus’ EEZ, stressing the need for an EU naval presence in the Eastern Mediterranean region....

196. 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....

197. Greek and French Defence Ministers declare united front

Greek and French Defence Ministers, Nikos Panagiotopoulos and Florence Parly, denounced Turkey’s illegal actions in the Eastern Mediterranean during their meeting in Athens on Monday....

198. Greece, US hold live-fire drill after major base deal

At the foot of Mount Olympus, army aviation forces from Greece and the United States are taking part in a live-fire exercise with attack helicopters, marking deepening defense ties between the two countries....

199. 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.”...

200. 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....

201. Cypriot FM works the phones over Libya

Cyprus Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides has been working the phones Thursday and Friday, discussing with counterparts of other nations the situation in Libya and a need to avoid illegal actions...

202. Lebanon says Greek vessel violated waters

Beirut is seeking answers through the United Nations following an alleged maritime violation by a Greek vessel in Lebanese territorial waters...

203. Turkish military drone lands in Cyprus

A military armed drone landed in the northern part of Cyprus on Monday after flying a five-hour mission from its naval base in Turkey...

204. 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...

205. US guided-missile destroyer USS Gonzalez arrives in Larnaca port

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gonzalez (DDG 66) arrived in Larnaca port, Cyprus, on October 1st, for a scheduled visit. It is currently deployed in support of US national security interests in the US 6th Fleet area of operations....

206. 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. ...

207. Britain calls for European naval mission to counter Iran's 'piracy'

It is unclear how much influence Britain may have in Europe given it is about to have a new prime minister, widely expected to be Boris Johnson, who takes over a country divided over Brexit, its planned departure from the European Union. ...

208. UNFICYP mandate extended for another six months

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has recommended that the Security Council extends UNFICYP’s mandate until January 31, 2020 in recognition of its continued contribution to the maintenance of peace and stability. ...

209. UK F35 jets fly first sorties out of Cyprus

The UK’s newest and most advanced generation of fighter jet, the Lightning F-35B, has completed its first operational missions to Syria and Iraq, as part of the ongoing fight against Daesh, following a successful training period in Cyprus, UK Defence Secretary, Penny Mordaunt said during a visit she paid to the British Bases in Cyprus....

210. World leaders mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day