Ankara

Just a week before the resumption of the 61st round of exploratory contacts between the two countries, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu accused Greece of "provocations" and "illegal militarization of islands," warning that "if Athens insists on not cooperating, then the responsibility for any tensions will be on its shoulders."

Heavy rains and snow have battered Turkey's east, the Mediterranean and west coasts, disrupting daily life, particularly in Istanbul, Ankara and Bursa.

The Turkish State Meteorological Service has warned the residents of Black Sea and Mediterranean coasts, eastern provinces, Istanbul and the capital Ankara for rainy weather conditions.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in an address to his New Democracy MPs stressed the need  to bolster «national self confidence» which he said has characterised the country's response to severe challenges from the COVID-19 epidemic to foreign affairs.

Mitsotakis offered his views on  Greek-Turkish relations and stressed the need for the exploratory talks.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said relations with the European Union are in a "more positive place" but continued to accuse Greece of raising obstacles to exploratory talks planned for later this month.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the new Turkish Presidential Palace prior to a official ceremony for Republic day in Ankara, Turkey 29 October 2014. Photo: EPA/STR

One will be built at the popular resort of Marmaris on the Aegean and the other will be built in Ahlat, a lakeside town in eastern Turkey.

Turkey wants to see concrete steps from the European Union to further enhance positive developments in the dialogue between Ankara and Brussels, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Jan. 18.

"Turkey-EU ties are in a more positive place now thanks to constructive steps," Çavuşoğlu said at a joint press conference with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Jan. 18 called for a "solution-oriented" dialogue between Turkey and Greece to resolve disputes between the two countries and de-escalate tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Turkish defense minister and the chief of general staff paid an official visit to Baghdad on Jan. 18.

Professor Muammer Sun, a doyen composer and educator who made several contributions to the development of Contemporary Polyphonic Turkish Music, passed away on Jan. 16 at Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine Hospital due to multiple organ failure. He was 89.

He was taken to the hospital on the night of Jan. 15 for his treatment.

As Turkey and China are all set to mark 50 years of their diplomatic ties, both countries' relations are going to deepen further in the coming period, the Turkish ambassador in Beijing said on Jan. 16.