THE NEW MARITIME ORDER AND GREEK PERSPECTIVE IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN

070813-N-5459S-543 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 13, 2007) - The ships of Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG) 1 transit in formation for a photo exercise. From left, Portuguese frigate NRP Alvares Cabral (F331), Canadian frigate HMCS Toronto (FFH 333), guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60), German replenishment tanker FGS Spessart (A 1442), Dutch frigate HNLMS Evertsen (F805), and Danish corvette HDMS Olfert Fischer (F355). Normandy is flagship for SNMG-1, which is conducting NATOÕs first maritime out-of-area deployment by circumnavigating Africa. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Vincent J. Street (RELEASED)

George X. Protopapas Executive Director, Center for International Strategic Analyses (KEDISA) The Eastern Mediterranean has become the epicenter of maritime and geopolitical developments as great powers, regional actors antagonise for influence and access to energy resources. Greece a traditional maritime nation could play a constructive role on the stabilisation of the region. Since 2012 US… Continue reading THE NEW MARITIME ORDER AND GREEK PERSPECTIVE IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN

CYPRUS, GREECE AND ISRAEL TO SPEED UP EAST MEDITERRANEAN GAS PIPELINE EFFORTS

Sourced : Cyprus Mail By Jean Christou Cyprus, Greece and Israel said on Thursday they would speed up plans for the development of a pipeline channelling gas to Europe from newly discovered east Mediterranean reserves. European governments and Israel agreed in April to move forward with a Mediterranean pipeline project to carry natural gas from… Continue reading CYPRUS, GREECE AND ISRAEL TO SPEED UP EAST MEDITERRANEAN GAS PIPELINE EFFORTS

GREEK AMBASSADOR IN TURKEY URGES EU TO SNUB TURKISH NAVY EXERCISE CLOSING CEREMONY

Sourced : EKathimerini In a letter to his European Union counterparts, Greece’s ambassador to Turkey, Kyriakos Loukakis, has asked them to abstain from attending the closing ceremony of the Denizkurdu 2017 (Seawolf) naval exercise. Turkish media published excerpts of the letter, dismissing it as Greek “propaganda” to the Europeans. Kathimerini understands that Loukakis said the… Continue reading GREEK AMBASSADOR IN TURKEY URGES EU TO SNUB TURKISH NAVY EXERCISE CLOSING CEREMONY

TURKISH MINISTER OF EUROPEAN AFFAIRS : AGATHONISI ISLAND IS TURKISH TERRITORY NOT GREEK

Sourced : Proto Thema The Turkish European Affairs Minister, Omer Celik made a statement claiming the island of Agathonisi was Turkish territory in an interview on Turkish television, Wednesday. His statement came as a response to the recent visit during Easter to the island by Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos, who Mr. Celik attacked personally… Continue reading TURKISH MINISTER OF EUROPEAN AFFAIRS : AGATHONISI ISLAND IS TURKISH TERRITORY NOT GREEK

TURKISH NEWSPAPER CLAIMS THAT GREECE’S PRESIDENT VISITED A “TURKISH ISLAND OCCUPIED BY GREECE”

Sourced : Keep Talking Greece Turkey continues to escalate tension in the Aegean Sea. Ankara is determined to challenge Greece’s sovereignty either through official statements or through its media. Daily newspaper Sözcü published its Friday front page claiming that Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos visited a …Turkish island that is occupied by Greeks.  The President visited… Continue reading TURKISH NEWSPAPER CLAIMS THAT GREECE’S PRESIDENT VISITED A “TURKISH ISLAND OCCUPIED BY GREECE”

TRILATERAL (US-ISRAEL-GREECE) NOBLE DINA EXERCISE BEGINS LATER THIS MONTH

Sourced : Defence News By Barbara Opall-Rome The trilateral Noble Dina exercise between the American, Israeli and Hellenic navies will begin later this month, with nearly a dozen surface ships, submarines and related air assets scheduled to engage in joint reconnaissance, counterterror and antisubmarine warfare training. Cyprus will participate as an observer in the annual… Continue reading TRILATERAL (US-ISRAEL-GREECE) NOBLE DINA EXERCISE BEGINS LATER THIS MONTH

US ASKS ANKARA FOR STEPS TO EASE AEGEAN TENSION

Sourced : Kathimerini By Vassilis Nedos American officials have urged Ankara to refrain from action that would further escalate tension with fellow NATO member Greece in the Aegean Sea, Kathimerini understands, adding that the issue was raised during the Munich Security Conference last month, as well as during private contacts in Ankara. Sources told Kathimerini… Continue reading US ASKS ANKARA FOR STEPS TO EASE AEGEAN TENSION

HOW ERDOGAN WILL DERAIL CYPRUS’ REUNIFICATION

Sourced : Politico By Mujtaba Rahman (Head of Eurasia Group’s Europe practice) The divided island of Cyprus is probably the closest it has ever been to being reunified. For the first time, both the North and the South have elected leaders who are genuinely willing to work toward a solution to the decades-old conflict. Over… Continue reading HOW ERDOGAN WILL DERAIL CYPRUS’ REUNIFICATION

ERDOGAN : “TURKISH TROOPS WOULD REMAIN IN CYPRUS FOREVER”

Sourced : NY Times By Nick Cumming-Bruce and Andreas Riris Turkey’s president declared on Friday that Turkish troops would remain in Cyprus “forever,” complicating hopes of reuniting the island nation, which has been effectively partitioned since 1974. “Greece is fleeing again from a solution to the Cyprus problem,” the president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, told reporters… Continue reading ERDOGAN : “TURKISH TROOPS WOULD REMAIN IN CYPRUS FOREVER”

CYPRUS SETTLEMENT TALKS OFFER GLIMMER OF HOPE FOR ISLAND

Sourced : Kathimerini By Michele Kambas It is a dispute that has brought NATO partners Greece and Turkey to the brink of war and confounded generations of diplomats; but Geneva negotiations next week offer the best chance in decades of reuniting the ethnically divided island of Cyprus. On the face of it, the omens are… Continue reading CYPRUS SETTLEMENT TALKS OFFER GLIMMER OF HOPE FOR ISLAND