Washington

Palestine's leadership vowed on Jan. 23 not to recognize any Middle East peace plan it had previously rejected, warning the U.S. and Israel against announcing such a deal.

US Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt told the Athens Energy Dialogues 2020 event on Thursday that his country warmly supports Greece's cooperation with Cyprus and Israel on the EastMed natural gas pipeline that forms part of the US strategy in the region.

Turkey's foreign minister has reiterated a proposal to establish a NATO-lead committee to review possible threats to the alliance from Turkey's purchase of a Russian-made missile defense system.

US Ambassador to Athens Geoffrey Pyatt has reiterated Washington's support for the deepening cooperation between Greece, Cyprus and Israel in the energy sector.
In early January, the three countries signed a deal to build a 1,900 km (1,180 mile) subsea pipeline to carry natural gas from the eastern Mediterranean's rapidly developing gas fields to Europe.

Another 393 people are suspected of being infected with the virus, but this has not yet been confirmed, Reuters reports.
Wuhan's city government said it would shut down all urban transport networks and suspend outgoing flights.
Wuhan authorities have urged citizens not to leave the city unless under special circumstances, while heavy guards patrol Wuhan's main roads.

American Balkans expert and a former advisor and supporter of Joseph Biden, Michael Carpenter, said in an interview with the Serbian Telegraph that Washington would accept any solution agreed by Serbs and Albanians. He also points out that there are no red lines on this issue - everything is up to Belgrade and Pristina.

The United States is "deeply concerned" by Turkey's drilling operations off Cyprus, including plans to dispatch its Yavuz drillship south of Limassol, a State Department spokesman has said, urging Turkish authorities to cancel such plans.

As Turkey ratchets up tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, Greece on Tuesday welcomed a letter sent by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis which states Washington's commitment "to supporting Greece's prosperity, security and democracy."

The United Sates is "deeply concerned" by Turkey's drilling operations off Cyprus, including plans to dispatch the drill ship Yavuz south of Limassol, a State Department spokesman has said, urging Turkish authorities to cancel such plans.

The United States considers Greece a major ally and participant in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrote to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, cited by BGNES.

"We consider Athens a key ally and a crucial player in the Eastern Mediterranean as well as the Balkans,", the letter stated.