Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was received at the presidential mansion in Nicosia on Monday by the island republic's president, Nicos Anastasiades, as the newly elected premier chose Cyprus for his visit official visit abroad.
Mitsotakis is accompanied by Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and Environment/Energy Minister Kostis Hatzidakis.
The visit, despite its obvious symbolic nature, comes amid a period of increased Turkish provocations in the eastern Mediterranean, accompanied by saber-rattling and official Ankara's attempt at imitating "gunboat diplomacy". Turkish foreign policy continues to dispute Cyprus' sovereign rights and has illegally commenced hydrocarbon exploration in the island republic's EEZ.
