Giorgos Katrougalos

Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Katrougalos on Wednesday briefed party representatives on the measures the European Union is considering taking against Turkey, should the latter continue with its drilling plans in Cyprus' exclusive economic zone (EZZ), the ministry said.

Greece's National Council for Foreign Policy was convening on Wednesday to discuss Turkey's activities off the coast of Cyprus and its refusal to heed warnings of sanctions from the European Union.

Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Katrougalos on Friday called a meeting of the country's National Council for Foreign Affairs (ESEP) on June 26 to discuss developments with Turkey and specifically its planned drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The minister will brief party representatives on the issues at hand. The council will be held at 1:30 p.m. (local time). 

Greece's Foreign Minister Giorgos Katrougalos discussed with US National Security Advisor John Bolton about Turkey's drilling activities in Cyprus' exclusive economic zone (EEZ), state-run news agency ANA-MPA reported Wednesday.

Greece is promoting measures to de-escalate tension in the Aegean while at the same time trying to forge a common European front against Turkey's challenges to international law, Foreign Minister Giorgos Katrougalos said ahead of a meeting of EU ministers in Luxembourg on Tuesday.

The foreign ministers of Greece and Cyprus, Giorgos Katrougalos and Nikos Christodoulidis, stressed the need for a "clear message" from the European Union urging Turkey to desist with plans to explore for natural gas off the coast of Cyprus.

Defense Minister Evangelos Apostolakis expressed concern Thursday over Turkey's destabilizing role in the region.

Greece wants to enhance relations between the European Union and Russia, Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Katrougalos said Thursday, adding that Moscow is key to stability in the region.
"We try to play the role of a bridge between the EU and the Russian Federation," Katrougalos said after a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in St. Petersbourg.

The new archbishop of America, Elpidophoros, met Friday in Athens with Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Katrougalos and his deputy Terence Quick.
"Armed with the good wishes of Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios and the entire nation, I feel secure in taking on my new duties," he said.

Foreign Minister Giorgos Katrougalos called on Turkey to end its illegal acitivities within Cyprus' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) during talks on Thursday evening with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu on the sidelines of a Council of Europe ministerial meeting in Helsinki.