Greece

04 Sep 2020; MEMO: Greece has pulled out of NATO-backed talks with Turkey, and is demanding that its neighbour should drop its “threats” in order for talks to go ahead in the effort to de-escalate tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The decision was taken by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis this morning as he met with a senior member of China’s Communist Party who is visiting Athens. “Let threats go away so that the contacts can begin,” he said.

ATHENS, September 2. /TASS/: Greece has allowed entry for up to 500 Russians per week since September 7 provided that they have a negative COVID-19 test result and a voucher confirming their hotel booking, said a joint ministerial decision, due to be in force for two weeks.

According to the regulation, Russians will be allowed to arrive by plane at the airports in Athens, Thessaloniki and Heraklion. This regulation will be in effect from 00:01 on September 7 until 23:59 on September 21.

ATHENS, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer on Tuesday expressed his confidence in the Greek government's handling of the migration issue during his meeting with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens, said Greek government sources.

The discussion focused on the developments in the "explosive problem that threatens the Greek borders, which are also the borders of Europe" and Nehammer reaffirmed his country's readiness to further assist Greece in practice, the same sources said.

25 Aug 2020; MEMO: Greece will proceed with plans to extend a cement and barbed-wire fence that it set up in 2012 along its northern border with Turkey to prevent migrants from entering the country, the government said on Monday.

The conservative government made the decision this year, spokesman Stelios Petsas said after tens of thousands of asylum seekers tried to enter EU member Greece in late February when Ankara said it would no longer prevent them from doing so.

ATHENS, Aug 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Greek and a Turkish warship were involved in a mini-collision on Wednesday during a standoff in the eastern Mediterranean, a Greek defence source said, describing it as an “accident”.

Tensions have risen this week after Turkey sent a survey vessel to the region, escorted by warships, to map out sea territory for possible oil and gas drilling – an area where Turkey and Greece both claim jurisdiction.

15 Aug 2020; MEMO: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed with his Greek counterpart the “urgent need” to soothe tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, the State Department said Friday, Anadolu Agency reported.

Pompeo met with Nikos Dendias earlier in the day in Vienna, Austria during his ongoing tour of Europe.

11 Aug 2020; MEMO: Turkey dispatched a vessel to conduct a seismic survey in a disputed area in the eastern Mediterranean, a move which Greece said was illegal and is likely to heighten tensions between the two NATO allies.

The advisory issued by the Turkish navy said the Oruc Reis vessel would operate in the area over the next two weeks.

ATHENS, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs Arancha Gonzalez Laya expressed Spain's support for Greece in stability in the Mediterranean region during her visit to Athens on Tuesday when meeting with the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and her Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias.

According to government sources, Turkey's recent conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque was also discussed.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece’s foreign minister on Tuesday said ‘illegal’ behaviour of Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean was threatening the cohesion of NATO and Ankara’s relations with the European Union.

Greece has long-running tensions with Turkey over a host of issues ranging from air and sea boundaries to ethnically-split Cyprus. Attempts by both Cyprus, a close ally of Greece, and Turkey at natural gas exploration in overlapping areas in the east Mediterranean have brought those disputes into sharper focus.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Turkey must stop drilling for natural resources in waters in the eastern Mediterranean if there is to be progress in EU-Turkey ties, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Tuesday.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said last week that Turkey would start seismic research and drilling operations in contested waters that are covered by an agreement between Ankara and Libya’s internationally recognised government.