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A28 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 6 augusT 2020
Minister: Cyprus can help E.U. fill east Med 'power void'

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — gotiate a maritime border
The European Union must deal. Christodoulides said
do more to fill a power Cyprus expects the EU to
vacuum in the eastern urge Turkey to sit down for
Mediterranean brought on talks.
by a perceived U.S. disen- "Some in Brussels are under
gagement from the region, the impression that the EU
and Cyprus is ready to host needs Turkey more than
an EU task force to achieve Turkey needs the EU. That's
that goal, the island na- a mistaken impression,"
tion's foreign minister said Christodoulides said.
Wednesday. The minister said there can
Nikos Christodoulides said be no military solution to
the EU has so far failed to heightened regional ten-
use its ample "soft pow- sions. But Cyprus "should
er" to position itself as the look seriously" at the possi-
leading player in a region bility of building up a naval
fraught with problems such deterrent force as a way
as terrorism and illegal im- of rallying the international
migration. community to pressure Tur-
The Cypriot official said key to cease its provoca-
the EU should pursue a tions.
more muscular policy with Christoulides said Turkey
a larger military footprint Cyprus' foreign minister Nikos Christodoulides speaks with the Associated Press during an inter- has an open invitation to
in the region, and lauded view at his office in Nicosia, Cyprus, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. join a web of evolving,
France for supporting this Associated Press energy-based partnerships
line. French President Em- Cyprus has forged with East
manuel Macron is orga- from Lebanon and could ties, but not as a launching Cyprus — which is ethnical- Med countries including Is-
nizing a summit of the EU's serve as the EU's hub for pad for any offensive mili- ly divided between Greek rael, Egypt and Jordan —
seven Mediterranean na- delivering assistance in the tary action. and Turkish Cypriots — as a as long as Ankara respects
tions Sept 10 to discuss de- wake of Tuesday's deadly The Cypriot official said state and claims 44% of its international law.
velopments in the eastern blast in Beirut. Turkey is taking full advan- exclusive economic zone He hailed strengthened
Mediterranean. "The EU says that it's interest- tage of the power void to at its own. Since 1974, Tur- ties with the U.S. enshrined
"The EU should have in its ed in the region. But to show fulfill its ambition of attain- key has occupied a third in Congress-approved
toolbox of available means that interest it must show it ing regional supremacy, in of the island after an inva- legislation, but noted this
more hard power," Christo- in actions, not just words," combination with a parallel sion triggered by an abor- doesn't necessarily mean
doulides told the Associat- said Christodoulides. "We goal of assuming the lead- tive coup by Greek Cypriot the two countries see eye-
ed Press in an interview. would welcome an EU task ership of the Islamic world. supporters of union with to-eye on all issues.
Because of its close prox- force in Cyprus for the re- He cited as an example Greece. The Eastern Mediterranean
imity to the Middle East, gion." Turkey's ongoing hydrocar- The EU has repeatedly con- Security and Energy Part-
Christodoulides said EU- Christodoulides said the bons search inside waters demned Turkey's drilling ac- nership Act foresees a lift-
member Cyprus can act as Cypriot government is in where Cyprus claims exclu- tivities in Cypriot waters and ing of a decades-old U.S.
a base of operations for the negotiations with "several sive economic rights. Turkey imposed some sanctions on arms embargo on Cyprus,
bloc's humanitarian and countries" with a "special in- is also militarily engaged in the country while backing on condition that the coun-
other missions. Cyprus is 180 terest" in the eastern Medi- Libya, Syria and Iraq. the Cypriot government's try no longer accepts Rus-
kilometers (120 miles) away terranean to offer its facili- Turkey doesn't recognize invitation to Ankara to ne- sian warships in its ports. q

Another cruise ship in Norway stalled over virus case

harbor Wednesday and SeaDream Yacht Club, said to the south.
ordered to keep everyone the former passenger had "We sincerely hope that
on board after a passenger no symptoms of COVID-19 there is no COVID-19 on
from a previous trip tested during the earlier voyage board, and we are not
positive for the coronavi- and had traveled home aware of any other guests
rus upon returning home from Tromsoe on Aug. 2. or crew who are infected
to Denmark. Bodoe Mayor The person underwent a or have any symptoms, but
Ida Pinneroed told Norwe- routine virus test upon arriv- we are taking all necessary
gian broadcaster NRK that al in Denmark and it came precautions," SeaDream
the SeaDream 1's 85 crew back positive on Tuesday. Yacht Club said in a state-
members would all be test- All the other passengers ment.
ed for the virus and that from the infected individu- Norwegian news agency
authorities were in contact al's trip must self-quarantine NTB reported later Wednes-
with the Norwegian Institute for 10 days, the Norwegian day that the entire crew
of Public Health on whether Institute of Public Health had tested negative. It was
A view of the Hurtigruten's vessel MS Roald Amundsen, docked the 123 passengers should said. not immediately clear if
in Tromso, Norway, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2020. be as well. The ship's new journey, the ship would remain un-
Associated Press "We take the situation very down the Norwegian coast der quarantine or would
seriously," the mayor said. started on Aug. 2 in Trom- be permitted to disembark
COPENHAGEN, Denmark ing more than 200 people The Norway-based com- soe and stopped in Bodoe, some or all of those on
(AP) — A cruise ship carry- docked in a Norwegian pany that owns the ship, 200 kilometers (124.3 miles) board. q