Bay Ledger News Zonebill@blnz.comtag:www.blnz.com,2009:topics/balkan_politicstag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/20/Kosovo-Serbia_solution_close_says_EUs_462d

A deal to normalise ties between Serbia and Kosovo is close and could be sealed next month, the European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said, following high-level talks in Brussels.

2013-03-21T00:56:14ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/19/Greece_ready_absorb_Cyprus_bank_3eb4

Athens is "ready" to absorb the subsidiaries of three Cyprus banks active in Greece, the Greek finance minister said as the eurozone sought to amend a controversial levy on the island nation's bank deposits.

2013-03-19T11:02:13ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/18/welcomes_Albania_offer_resettle_Iran_4c0f

The United States on Monday welcomed an offer from Albania to take in 210 members of an Iranian opposition group who currently live at a former US military base in Iraq.

2013-03-18T21:22:17ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/18/Croatia_pledges_tackle_hooliganism_25bd

Croatian officials on Monday pledged to tackle hooliganism with UEFA's help following a recent strong warning of the European football's ruling body over the issue.

2013-03-18T15:48:17ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/18/Greek_radical_anarchists_claim_attacks_f2ab

A radical anarchist group on Monday claimed responsibility for last week's attacks on the political offices of three Greek conservative lawmakers in the northern city of Thessaloniki.

2013-03-18T13:32:53ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/17/years_Greek_survivor_recalls_red_2f44

Heinz Kounio was put aboard the first train to transfer Jews from the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki to the Auschwitz death camp on March 15, 1943.

2013-03-17T18:48:26ZAFP Global Editionby Isabel Malsangtag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/16/Albania_offers_asylum_Iran_opposition_313a

The Albanian government said the Balkan country was ready to take in 210 members of an Iranian opposition group who currently live at a former US military base in Iraq.

2013-03-17T00:29:39ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/16/Albania_take_members_Iranian_opposition_bd53

The Albanian government said on Saturday the Balkan country was ready to take in 210 members of an Iranian opposition group who currently live at a former US military base in Iraq.

2013-03-16T20:23:08ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/16/Greek_Jews_commemorate_Auschwitz_deportation_e5f3

Greece's second largest city Thessaloniki on Saturday commemorated the 70th anniversary of the first deportation of its Jews to the Auschwitz concentration camp.

2013-03-16T15:00:31ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/15/Dinamo_Zagreb_chief_detained_hate_f8e9

Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb's chief Zdravko Mamic was detained here on Friday after making racial slurs against an ethnic Serb minister, police said.

2013-03-15T19:07:44ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/11/Croatia_slams_Platini_over_letter_ef3b

The Croatian government slammed UEFA president Michel Platini on Monday over his "inappropriate" letter to Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic in which he urged the Balkan country to tackle hooliganism.

2013-03-11T16:32:02ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/11/Greece_directly_affected_Cyprus_crisis_2ac1

Economic problems in Cyprus "directly" affect struggling Greece and the traditional allies will coordinate policies ahead of a European eurozone summit later this week, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said on Monday.

2013-03-11T15:29:20ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/11/Greek_economy_shrinks_57_fourth_54a3

Greece's ailing economy contracted by 5.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012 in an annual comparison, provisional data from the state statistics agency showed on Monday.

2013-03-11T11:43:06ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/09/Turkey_boosts_2020_Olympics_with_31c3

Seven giant Turkish companies have pledged to chip in for the national bid to host the 2020 Olympics, Sports Minister Suat Kilic said on Saturday.

2013-03-09T18:52:30ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/09/Greeks_protest_against_Canadian_goldmine_9427

Thousands of protesters on Saturday joined a demonstration in Greece's second city Thessaloniki against a Canadian gold mining project which locals say will cause irreversible damage to the environment.

2013-03-09T15:44:12ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/09/Greek_says_more_austerity_2495

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras on Saturday promised his recession-weary nation that there would be "no more austerity measures" as international creditors prolonged an audit of crisis reforms.

2013-03-09T12:39:39ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/06/Qatar_officials_Greece_investment_talks_d58c

Officials from Qatar's global investment arm will hold talks in crisis-hit Greece on Wednesday, the development ministry said.

2013-03-06T08:21:49ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/05/Istanbul_boosted_historic_agreement_31d5

Istanbul's bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games received a huge psychological boost on Tuesday as it was revealed that bitter historical foes Greece had pledged its full support to the Turkish city's candidacy.

2013-03-05T18:10:53ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/01/Cosco_reach_deal_Greek_d4a1

Hewlett Packard on Friday sealed a deal with Chinese shipping giant Cosco to move a key part of its regional supplies through the main Greek port of Piraeus, officials said.

2013-03-01T19:46:33ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/20/Fresh_unrest_erupts_Greek_anti-austerity_648e

Police in Athens fired tear gas at stone-throwing protestors Wednesday as thousands of Greeks walked off the job to join the debt-ridden country's first general strike this year and oppose austerity measures.

2013-02-20T15:03:59ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reporter