Maas praises Greece on reforms, migration

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has praised the reform effort of the new conservative government in Greece as well as the steps taken to address the migration problem, state-run Athens-Macedonian news agency (ANA-MPA) reports.

His comments were reportedly made at a joint press conference with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias on Monday during which Maas also acknowledged his "big respect" for the burden shouldered by Greeks during the 10-year financial crisis.

According to ANA-MPA, Maas also urged Ankara to stick with the implementation of the EU-Turkey agreement to stem irregular migration flows toward Europe while criticizing Ankara's activity within the contours of Cyprus' exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The German minister reportedly called for a de-escalation of tension in the area and for a new round of talks to resolve the Cyprus issue.