Cyprus

There is good reason to see Turkey’s Blue Homeland initiative as a bargaining tactic. Ankara asserts that its aggressive posture in the Aegean and Mediterranean stems from what it believes is Greece’s unwillingness to negotiate. A host of issues integral to Turkish interests remain unaddressed: natural gas in the Mediterranean, Greece’s militarization of territory in […]

The airing of grievances came as tensions flared again between Turkey and the EU after a Turkish seismic survey ship on Monday returned to disputed waters from which it had withdrawn last month to allow for diplomacy

NATO announced on 1 October that Greece and Turkey, both alliance members, had set up a “military de-confliction mechanism” to avoid accidental clashes at sea.

'The summit "is a significant meeting for Greek-Turkish relations and beyond, for all foreign relations the EU has,' said Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas.

" The US welcomes reports that Greece-Turkey are ready for exploratory talks on maritime delimitation issues, as talks have potential to contribute to easing of regional tensions," the US State Department said in a tweet.

'We hope they’ll be real conversations [between Turkey and Greece] and we hope the military assets that are there will be withdrawn so these conversations can take place,' said the US Secretary of State.

'What I think is important now is to support the German efforts to try to establish a platform for dialogue, for talks between two NATO allies, Turkey and Greece,' Nato chief Stoltenberg said.

Borrell, who visited the Kastanies Greek-Turkish border crossing station at Evros earlier on Wednesday with Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias, reaffirmed that the EU is committed to the protection of Greece's sovereignty.

'It is imperative that the international law of the sea, the principle of good neighbourly relations and the sovereignty and sovereign rights over the maritime zones of all neighbouring coastal states, including those generated by their islands, need to be respected,'Josep Borrell stated on behalf of the Commission.

President Trump praised Greece’s efforts to exit the crisis and the PM’s good work but when called upon to respond to the provocations of his “friend” Recep Tayyip Erdogan he acted as if he hadn’t heard.

Ankara is claiming half of all of Cyprus' natural resources, despite the fact that the Turkish-Cypriots comprised on 20 percent of the island’s overall population at the time of the 1974 Turkish occupation.

Mitsotakis sent a message to Turkey that the project will contribute to peace and geopolitical stability.

'The Act enhances United States’ engagement in the Eastern Mediterranean and reaffirms its commitment to strengthening and expanding its strategic energy and security cooperation with its key allies.'

Greece is working to create a security umbrella including Israel and Cyprus in the face of Turkey’s hostile actions in the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean.

With many underlining the geopolitical benefits for Greece of the planned EastMed gas pipeline, Energy Minister Kostis Hatzidakis took pains to stress that the project is not aimed at Turkey.

'We simply expect everyone to see the realities and we invite all our neighbours to do so,' Akar declared.

The US envoy also expressed support for the Greece-Israel-Cyprus strategic cooperation in the energy sector and its link to Egypt.

German foreign ministry spokesperson expressed support for the sovereign rights of Greece and Cyprus and clearly declared that maritime borders must be delimited in accord with international law.

"Greece's hands and feet have been bound and that has driven them crazy," Erdogan declared.

"'he activity for the protection of our rights and interests in the Aegean, Eastern Mediterranean, and Cyprus is proceeding decisively,' the Turkish defence minister said.