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Tsipras-Zaev Davos meeting aims to revive faltering Greece-Macedonia/FYROM Name Talks
Hoping to resuscitate the stalling diplomatic initiative to resolve the Greece-Macedonia/FYROM Name Dispute negotiations this year, the prime ministers of Greece and Macedonia/FYROM met...
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Greece-Macedonia/FYROM Name Talks appear to lose the strong momentum seen at the start of 2018
While 2018 opened on a positive note with both Athens and Skopje making hopeful statements and gestures around the New Year pointing to the...
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At Rome ‘Club Med’ summit, Greece gets a line on TAP gas to Italy
As heads of state and government of Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain, or so-called “Club Med,’ convened in Rome on January...
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Potential European market rivals, Russia’s Gazprom, Iran’s NIOC sign gas cooperation deals
Gazprom said that the Russian gas giant has signed a deal with Iran to implement integrated projects for hydrocarbon production, transmission and processing in...
Albania
With the exception of TAP, Erdogan’s visit to Greece reconfirms diverging energy interests
ATHENS – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s historic visit to Greece on December 7, the first such visit in 65 years by Turkish President,...
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Saudi Arabia, Putin’s Russia lead OPEC oil output cut extension deal through end of 2018
In an effort to boost oil prices, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC members, including Russia, reached an agreement on November...
Africa
Cyprus, Greece, Egypt strive to export East Med gas to Europe, but at what price?
ATHENS – Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades, Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and Greek Prime minister Alexis Tsipras endorsed a gas export pipeline from Cyprus to...
Africa
Governator Schwarzenegger, Commissionator Šefčovič promote Clean Mobility
STRASBOURG – The EU wants to kick-start the European car industry, creating competitive zero and low emission cars, European Commission Vice-President for Energy Union...
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Šefčovič, Pyatt say Greece can help boost EU energy security
PIRAEUS, Greece – Greece’s position as an energy hub that can help the European Union increase its energy security and diversification of supplies, reducing...
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France’s Total leads hydrocarbon exploration offshore Greece
ATHENS – Greece has signed a lease agreement with the joint venture Total-Edison-Hellenic Petroleum for the Block 2 at the Ionian Sea, offshore Greece.At...
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Putin boosts ties with Cyprus, woos Greece, Italy for TurkStream to EU
Russia and Cyprus have always been close partners and cooperation between Moscow and Nicosia was reinforced following the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin...
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Iraqi-Kurdish battles send oil prices gushing, retreating
Oil prices surged from October 13 through October 18 as fighting between Iraqi and Kurdish forces intensified, threatening supplies from northern Iraq, while markets...
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Trump, Tsipras and Washington’s wordsmiths: What is a “responsible debt relief plan” for Greece?
Although much furor has arisen in Greece over the alleged high costs of the planned upgrade of part of the Greek F-16 fighter fleet...
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Trump-Tsipras White House Meeting garners strong Greek interest, but others?
The most significant interaction in Greek PM Alexis Tsipras 5-day US visit was the October 17 meeting/working lunch with US President Donald Trump. ...
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Finland-Estonia gas pipe to diversify EU supplies away from Russia
HELSINKI – The BalticConnector, a EU-backed gas transmission project between Estonia and Finland, will become operational from the beginning of 2020, boosting EU energy...
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Cyprus, Greece eye East Med gas discoveries for EU export
ATHENS – More offshore hydrocarbon discoveries from the East Mediterranean region similar to Egypt’s giant Zohr field could boost gas exports to Europe.“At the...
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Searching for meaning in Greek PM Tsipras’ planned Washington visit
Since the announcement of a White House meeting for Greek PM Alexis Tsipras last July, issued by the Office of Vice President Pence, observers...
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Merkel’s new coalition likely won’t sideline Nord Stream-2
Despite the outcome of the hard political negotiations to form a coalition government following the re-election of Germany’s Angela Merkel to a fourth-term in...
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Not impacted by sanctions, Russia, China ink Siberian exploration deal
Russian oil giant Rosneft and CEFC China Energy Company Limited signed a Strategic Cooperation Agreement to develop projects in Western and Eastern Siberia and...
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German foreign minister tells Tillerson US Russia sanctions rattle EU
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel met for the third time with his counterpart Rex Tillerson on August 29, reportedly reiterating to the US Secretary...
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Snubbing Turkey, Italy’s ENI will drill off Cyprus
Italian energy major ENI’s bold announcement that it will start a drilling programme in November offshore Cyprus, which not only involves blocks 3 and...
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US’ Russia sanctions undercut Gazprom’s Ukraine tariffs
The new US sanctions against Russia reportedly create the risk of weakening Russian gas monopoly Gazprom’s position in talks with Ukraine on tariffs for...
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Macedonia name dispute: Are the stars aligning for a new U.S. push?
In the shadow of the failed Cyprus talks, another critical regional issue for Greece and the Western Balkans is apparently coming back into sharp...
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All eyes on Turkey as Total-ENI vessel readied to drill offshore Cyprus
ATHENS – As the West Capella drilling vessel, contracted by France’s Total in association with Italy’s ENI, is about to start drilling at Block...
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US Vice President Pence reaches out to Greek PM Tsipras after Cyprus talks collapse
In a clear attempt to minimize the regional political fallout from the failed Cyprus talks, U.S. Vice President Michael Pence called Greek Prime Minister...
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Turkish Stream eyes Balkan gas market, East Med hinges on prices
VOULIAGMENI, Athens – Gazprom is looking to supply the Balkans with Russian gas via Turkish Stream after 2019 when the contract with Ukraine expires,...
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Russia takes pass on Qatar conflict with Arab neighbours
MOSCOW – Russia, which has called for dialogue to tackle the political rift in the Arab world over Qatar, will not take sides in...
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Turkey’s energy hub hopes hinge on market liberalisation
BELGRADE – Turkey is very well positioned to be a regional energy hub because of its geographical location and strong market but the government...
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Concordia Europe Summit: Joe Biden tries to contain Trump’s transatlantic shockwaves
Concordia’s June 6-7 inaugural Europe Summit in Athens covered a wide array of issues from the ongoing refugee crisis, Eurozone disputes, the UN’s Sustainable...
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Concordia's Europe Summit inaugurated in Athens
The inaugural Concordia Europe Summit ran June 6-7 in Athens. Launching the star-studded event, Concordia’s founders, Nicholas Logothetis and Matthew Swift, said Greece...
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ISIL’s cross-border oil smuggling days are over
BRATISLAVA – ISIL’s ability to smuggle oil across the Iraqi border and finance its jihadist activities from oil revenue has almost stopped, a German...
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OPEC, non-OPEC extend oil cut as cooperation with Russia improves
VIENNA - In an effort to reduce a global crude oil glut and boost prices, Members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and...
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US calls for relaxing Gazprom’s stranglehold on EU market
ATHENS – Several key energy projects currently underway in Greece will bring significant quantities of non-Russian gas to Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, and other regional...
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Iran election not to jeopardise nuclear deal, affect oil prices
When Iranians vote to elect a new president on May 19, traders and Mideast observers will be watching, but it is unlikely that Tehran,...
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Oversupply fears push oil prices to five-month lows
Fears of oversupply pushed oil prices to five-month lows on May 5 despite signals that Russia is ready to join the Organization of Petroleum...
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EU-Turkey energy partnership to continue after referendum
Even though a tightly contested referendum granting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wide new powers after a major overhaul of the country’s political system...
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Cyprus inks major deals with foreign energy giants
France’s Total, Italy’s ENI, US ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum signed agreements in Nicosia this week to explore and produce hydrocarbons offshore Cyprus. Total signed...
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Russia, Finland, Iceland warm up to Arctic cooperation
Arctic countries gathered in Arkhangelsk, Russia, to discuss current issues relating to the region. Russian President Vladimir Putin with his Finnish and Icelandic counterparts...
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Go West (Again)! Digital Policy Minister Nikos Pappas visits Trump’s Washington
Greece’s Syriza-ANEL (Independent Greeks) coalition government simply won’t back off from its efforts to expand contacts with the Trump Administration, with the third minister...
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For March 25th at least, Greece comes in from the cold to meet the Trump Administration
For the traditional White House celebration of Greek Independence Day (March 25), everything has always been beautiful, regardless of which party currently holds the...
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US, NATO could play a role in East Med energy security
DELPHI, Greece - The United States and NATO will need to have a military presence in the East Mediterranean to protect the energy resources...
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Gazprom and the European Commission: What’s next?
After lengthy negotiations, the European Commission and Russian gas monopoly Gazprom have agreed on a list of commitments, which the Commission expects will most...
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Trump unveils his “Hard Power Budget” delineating elements of an American withdrawal from global leadership, if approved
The screaming had already started well before President Trump revealed his proposals for a “Hard Power Budget” March 16, since the main budget outlines...
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Brief encounters of the first kind: Top U.S. and Greek diplomats meet
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias in Washington March 13, just hours before Tillerson planned to depart...
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US backs Greece’s efforts to build EU energy connections
DELPHI, Greece - The United States strongly supports Greece’s efforts to build its energy connections with Europe, US Ambassador to Athens Geoffrey Pyatt told...
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Romania’s Cluj capitalises on Smart City energy
The largest city of Transylvania, Cluj-Napoca, is trying to attract investors with the help of EU funds to become smarter, Emil Boc, the city’s...
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EU hesitation puts Arctic plans on ice
BRUSSELS – The European Union needs to play an active role in the Arctic instead of simply observing the developments in the region, European...
Archive
Russian gas line through Ukraine EU peace pipe?
BRUSSELS - The Russian gas transit across Ukraine to Europe and business ties between Moscow and Kiev could ultimately help restore peace between Ukraine...
Albania
Ambassador Pyatt says US wants EU energy deal to block Russia
ATHENS – The United States will continue to work with the European Union to promote diversification of energy supplies and lessen dependence on Russia,...
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Total eyes EU hydrocarbon exports from Cyprus, Greece
Total is reportedly preparing to make an exploratory marine drilling off Cyprus. The French energy major is also in talks with the Greek government...
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