Greece, Cyprus won’t follow Turkey in tension-raising talk

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The leaders of Greece and Cyprus are seeking to tamp down tensions with neighboring Turkey amid increasingly belligerent rhetoric from the Turkish president. They are insisting that the best way to counter such talk is through “calm and composed determination.” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said during a meeting with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades Friday that this tack is the most appropriate to de-escalate tensions while keeping communication channels with Turkey open. Turkey and Greece have a long history of disputes over a range of issues, including mineral exploration in the eastern Mediterranean, rival claims in the Aegean Sea and over ethnically divided Cyprus.