Egypt–Greece relations

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is to receive his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu in Athens on December 5 and 6 when the two are to co-chair the third session of the Greek-Turkish High-Level Cooperation Council, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday following several days of rising tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Greece, Cyprus and Israel might hold a tripartite summit soon, following the talks between the Greek, Cypriot and Egyptian leaders in Cairo on Saturday.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will visit Athens in December to hold talks with Greek Premier Antonis Samaras, it was announced on Monday.

The leaders of Greece and the Greek Cypriots came together on Nov. 8 in Cairo with Egypt’s strong man Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for a tripartite summit, to discuss ways of deepening trilateral cooperation in making the best use of the Mediterranean’s natural wealth.

Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades on Nov. 8 accused Turkey of "provocative actions" that he said are hindering the island’s peace talks and compromising security in the eastern Mediterranean.

Greece, Cyprus and Egypt will step up energy cooperation, the leaders of the three countries agreed in Cairo on Saturday in their first ever tripartite talks.

Greece called on Turkey Friday to stop provoking Cyprus as it seeks to develop hydrocarbon reserves within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), while Nicosia repeated that any gains will only be shared with Turkish Cypriots after the conclusion of a reunification settlement.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras on Friday called on Ankara to review its stance in the eastern Mediterranean and offer "clear signs" that it supports the resumption of stalled peace talks on Cyprus.

In an interview with Cyprus's Sigma television and Simerini newspaper, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras indicated that an increase in tensions in the eastern Mediterranean would be "a very negative development," referring to the continuing presence of a Turkish seismic vessel off the southern coast of Cyprus.

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades are due to continue talks in Nicosia on Friday after the New Democracy leader arrived on the Eastern Mediterranean island yesterday to back Cyprus’s right to explore for hydrocarbons in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).