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1381. Carrot-and-stick approach to Turkey failing, EU envoys say

The European Union's latest strategy to defuse tensions with Turkey is unravelling, two weeks after it was sealed, raising the risk of conflict in the Eastern Mediterranean, diplomats, officials and experts said....

1382. Germany slams Turkey for sending survey ship to eastMed

German foreign minister Heiko Maas criticized Turkey for sending a survey vessel back into controversial waters of the eastern Mediterranean, calling the unilateral move a blow to efforts to start negotiations in the conflict....

1383. Turkey points finger at Greece

Ankara fired back at US and EU criticism over actions of its decision to send Oruc Reis survey vessel near the Greek island of Kastellorizo, while also accusing Athens of escalating tensions and refusing honest dialogue over maritime disputes...

1384. Maas to visit Athens, Nicosia, Ankara in bid to de-escalate tensions

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas will tour Athens, Nicosia and Ankara next week as part of the continuous effort to rekindle the dialogue between the three countries ahead of the European Council Summit....

1385. Nicosia in wait-and-see over Barbaros

Government officials in the Republic of Cyprus on Friday declined to comment on reports that Turkish seismic vessel Barbaros had moved away from contested waters off Cyprus, suggesting Nicosia was in a wait-and-see mode amid reports of ongoing diplomatic efforts at the European level between Greece and Turkey...

1386. Greek, Turkish foreign ministers meet as tensions ease

The foreign ministers of Greece and Turkey have met on the sidelines of a conference in Slovakia and agreed to set a date for the start of a new round of exploratory talks between the two, officials said Wednesday....

1387. All eyes on Cypriot ghost town

Turkish Cypriot authorities have been working around the clock to meet a deadline on Thursday when a Varosha beachfront, which has been off limits since 1974, is set to reopen to the public...

1388. Kinvara Balfour at Digital Agenda Cyprus Summit 2020

Lady Kinvara Balfour advises companies big and small (Jimmy Choo, Richemont, Smythson, UBS, Evian, Coutts to name a few) on what is cool out there in the zeitgeist. She understands the worlds of tech, fashion and popular culture and the psychology that drives them....

1389. EY Cyprus Platinum Sponsor at first Cyprus Forum

1390. Microsoft plans $1 billion data center venture in Greece

Microsoft has announced plans to build three data centers in greater Athens, providing a badly needed investment of up to $1 billion to the Greek economy which has been hammered by the pandemic....

1391. Over 600 traffic violations reported as higher penalties kick in

The first day of stricter penalties for traffic violations got off to a rocky start, with traffic police filing over 600 reports against drivers across Cyprus, with some drivers not taking their steep fines lightly....

1392. East Mediterranean states establish forum

The founding members of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum signed a charter during an online ceremony on Tuesday, marking the group’s organization status in seeking to promote regional cooperation...

1393. Search still on for school prank instigators

Police are still trying to identify a number of suspects in an animal cruelty case in Paralimni, while at least 20 students reportedly have admitted they played a role in the school prank...

1394. EU fails to unblock sanctions due to lack on unanimity

European Union foreign ministers failed to overcome a diplomatic standoff over Belarus on Monday despite an appeal by the country's main opposition leader to approve sanctions on officials accused of rigging the election last month....

1395. EU foreign affairs chief asks for ‘space to work with Turkish leadership’

The European Commission’s vice president in charge of foreign affairs, Josep Borrell, on Tuesday urged leaders meeting later in month at an emergency European Council summit on Turkey and recent developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, “to create the urgently needed space to work with the Turkish leadership, to achieve a de-escalation that will allow to pursue lasting solutions to the underlying problems of today’s crisis.”...

1396. Athens and Ankara in dialogue rehearsal

In the wake of the almost month-long standoff between Greece and Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean, the foreign ministers of both countries, Nikos Dendias and Mevlut Cavusoglu, give their analysis of the situation and the way forward in articles they wrote exclusively for Kathimerini...

1397. Sanctions unfeasible and ineffective

Nathalie Tocci was a close adviser to former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, during the years when the Cyprus Problem came – according to many - closer than ever to a solution. Today, she is a close advisor to Josep Borrell and, having monitored the Cyprus Problem for many years and having played a central role in the effort to formulate a European strategy for foreign policy, she has a strong view not only on Cyprus but also on the Greek-Turkish conflict. At the same time, she takes a critical approach to the efforts exerted by Athens and Nicosia to link sanctions against Turkey with those against Belarus. ...

1398. Passports under the watchful eye of the Commission

1399. 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....

1400. EU mulls legal action against Cyprus 'golden passports'

The foreign media network Al Jazeera, that has this week been publishing a series of articles and videos on the murky side of the Cyprus ‘golden passports’ program after it was leaked classified documents, reported that the European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders is looking into the possibility of legal action against Cyprus....

1401. Over half of EMEA private businesses expect revenue to decline

1402. Al Jazeera journalist denies political motives

Cypriot Interior Minister Nikos Nouris is expected on Wednesday to provide answers to Al Jazeera’s “golden passports” story, while the network has rejected accusations of political motives behind the story...

1403. 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...

1404. Borrell doubles down on Turkey criticism

EU High Representative on Foreign Policy Josep Borrell scorned Turkey over the weekend, calling on Ankara to end drilling activities off the island of Cyprus and engage in a broad dialogue with the European Union...

1405. 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."...

1406. 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...

1407. Farmer refuses to return worker’s passport

A story has emerged involving alleged mistreatment of a foreign worker, after a post shared on Facebook by a local NGO pointed to an old practice by employers unlawfully retaining foreign workers’ passports for leverage...

1408. Week starts with quick dip in temps

Monday skies will be partly cloudy with chances of rain in the afternoon, while temperature highs will not go above 36 degrees Celsius but will rise gradually over the next few days...

1409. Cyprus and Qatar team up in Beirut rescue

Cypriot emergency rescuers are teaming up with their Qatari counterparts in Beirut, in an effort to find more victims as time is running out in the devastated town...

1410. Athens open to talks but not so fast

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias has welcomed a recent move from Turkey towards de-escalation in the region, saying Athens was open to dialogue but not on all things...