Member states of the Union for the Mediterranean

Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias referred to the importance of Greek tourism for the growth of trade and commerce, while addressing a Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (ESEE) event on Wednesday.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias says he has urged United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to intensify efforts for a Cyprus settlement based on UN resolutions. 

Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias will meet with the Secretary-General of the UN, Antonio Guterres in New York on Thursday to discuss, among others, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Cyprus, developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Western Balkans.

The meeting is scheduled at 3.30 p.m. (local time).

Greece will continue joint efforts to solve the Cyprus problem on the basis of UN resolutions, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the Mediterranean island's newly-elected president Nikos Christodoulides during a meeting in Athens Monday.

In other news, the new Czech president finds a note in Prague Castle saying 'I'm afraid there is no booze left'; the Polish media's responsibility in the suicide of a youth comes under the spotlight; a Hungarian parliamentary delegation visits Sweden and Finland to demand "more respect" before the country accedes to their NATO accession; and Slovakia's caretaker prime minister, Eduard Heger, fo

January 30th marked the 100 year anniversary of the signing of the Lausanne Convention, which led to the forced expulsion of 1.2 million Greek Orthodox Christians from Turkey and 400,000 Muslims from Greece.

January 30 was the centenary of the signing of the Lausanne Convention (also known as the Convention Concerning the Exchange of Greek and Turkish Populations) on the compulsory exchange of populations between Greece and Turkey.

Türkiye, from a geostrategic perspective, is central to NATO and an extremely valuable member since 1952, the top Portuguese diplomat has said, suggesting a closer dialogue between Türkiye and Sweden for the latter's advancement to becoming an alliance member, along with Finland.

The Biden administration on Tuesday reiterated its support for both Finland and Sweden joining NATO at the earliest opportunity, after Helsinki said a pause was needed in trilateral talks with Turkey on the Nordic countries' application to join the military alliance.

Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said in an interview with Yle (Finland's national public broadcasting company) published on Tuesday that his country may seek to join NATO without Sweden if Stockholm's bid is take more time to be approved.