Cyprus

FMs of Cyprus, Lebanon discuss energy cooperation, bilateral relations

NICOSIA, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon is considering new proposals for the demarcation of its maritime borders with Israel, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said after talks in Nicosia with his Cypriot counterpart Ioannis Kasoulides.

The issue is of direct interest to Cyprus as the maritime borders dispute between Lebanon and Israel, which relates to a sea stretch of about 800 square kilometers, has been blocking for years the finalization of an agreement between Cyprus and Lebanon on their marine borders.

US diplomat: Mediterranean gas pipeline to Europe not viable

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — A proposed pipeline to deliver natural gas from deposits in the east Mediterranean to European markets is too expensive, not economically viable and will take too long to help countries seeking alternatives to Russian gas any time soon, a senior U.S. diplomat said Thursday.

U.S. Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland said after talks with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades that countries in the region have understood that dependence on Russian oil and gas is “an extremely bad bet” following its invasion of Ukraine.

EU to boost support to Cyprus as migrant flows across ceasefire line rise

NICOSIA, Feb 21 (Reuters) - The European Union will provide Cyprus with extra support to help it cope with a surge in migrant arrivals across the island's ceasefire line, the bloc's executive said on Monday.

Cyprus, the EU's easternmost state, says numbers of irregular migrants, predominantly from sub-Saharan Africa, have risen sharply, putting a strain on the island's resources.

They arrive southward across the porous line that divides Cyprus' Turkish Cypriot and Greek communities, thereby also entering the EU.

Cyprus announces shift of policy towards Turkey, focusing on confidence-building

NICOSIA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Cyprus' Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides said on Saturday that his country's policies towards Turkey have shifted in recent weeks away from confrontation towards confidence-building measures.

Kasoulides said the Cypriot government has moved away from pushing for EU sanctions on Turkey for actions violating the sovereign rights of Cyprus on land and in the eastern Mediterranean.

Ruling party wins parliamentary election in Northern Cyprus

NICOSIA, Jan 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The party of President Ersin Tatar and Prime Minister Faiz Sucuoglu, has won the parliamentary election in Northern Cyprus, according to preliminary results on Monday.

The National Unity Party (UBP) was at about 39.5 per cent, state broadcaster BRT reported on Monday, citing the election commission.

Boat Carrying 61 Migrants Leaves Cyprus Without Permit, Heads For Italy

NICOSIA, Nov 13 (NNN-AMNA) – A small boat carrying 61 migrants from Syria and Lebanon, including 28 children, was reportedly sailing towards Italy yesterday, after it slipped out of a port in Cyprus, under the cover of darkness, a Cyprus police spokesman said here yesterday.

The boat, carrying 22 men, 11 women and 28 children aged between two and 14 years, was originally escorted into the yacht harbour of the south-western city of Paphos on Wednesday, after being spotted off the Cypriot coast, floundering in stormy seas.

Cyprus on alert as Syrian oil slick spreads across Mediterranean

NICOSIA, Sept 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Authorities in Cyprus are monitoring an oil slick that originated from a power plant on Syria’s Mediterranean coast and could soon affect the island.

Syrian state media said last week there had been a spill from the plant, which is inside the Baniyas oil refinery.

Satellite imagery showed that the slick spread north along the Syrian coast before moving westwards towards Cyprus.

Modelling suggests that it will reach the Karpas Peninsula in the Turkish-controlled north on Tuesday.

Dozens of migrants detained off Cyprus; to be repatriated to Lebanon

NICOSIA, Aug 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Cypriot security authorities intercepted two boats with a total of 88 migrants on board off the island’s south-east coast at the weekend.

According to state radio RIK, one man managed to reach the coast of the Mediterranean island by swimming. The police were searching for him, the report said.

Cypriot president’s office says it received Putin’s letter on situation around Varosha

NICOSIA, August 2. /TASS/: Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades’ office said on Monday it has received Russian President Vladimir Putin’s letter of response to the Cypriot leader’s messages concerning the situation around Varosha, an abandoned southern quarter of the Cypriot city of Famagusta.

"We deem unilateral actions in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 550 and 789 inadmissible," the office quoted Putin’s letter.

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