Front Page Headlines
Mustafa Akinci is running for a second term
The TC leader is running again in 2020, he announced to his close associates. More confident after his meeting with Anastasiades and contacts with UN envoy Jane Holl Lute. Favourable conditions for re-election with Ozersay as opponent.
- Technical committee meeting: Obstacles with roaming
- Trilateral: In (US Secretary of State Michael) Pompeo’s presence
(Anastasiades) wants strong message from the US
Anastasiades’ goal from his meeting with Pompeo in Israel. Important week for energy-Cyprus problem.
- Support from Cyprus to the Halki Seminar
- They drilled in Mesaoria (for petrol) but found Troodos rocks
Expediencies bring CyBC to its knees
Empty excuses from the DISY chairman. Control over CyBC methodically started six years ago. Interior minister launches intensive consultations today.
- First official visit by (new Greek Foreign Minister) Giorgos Katrougalos to Cyprus for coordination on the Cyprob
Doctors censured!
The Health Minister refutes all their arguments and reiterates that GESY (National Health Scheme) will start on 1 June 2019. Rumours on mass resignations of state doctors is “fake news”. Positions are immediately announced to replace those walking out. “We have 825 doctors and, personally, I was expecting that even more would resign to set up private practices.” They had agreed to their secondment to OKYPY (state health services organisation), hence their pay scales have been upgraded and they’ve received additional allowances.
- (Government Spokesman) Prodromou: The Euroasia Interconnector issue still open, negotiations continue
- Anastasiades will seek Pompeo’s support on EEZ – Within the framework of the Cyprus-Greece-Israel trilateral in Jerusalem. Bilateral meeting of the President with the US FM.
- Katrougalos arrives for coordination
- Faysal Sariyildiz: “Similarities between Hitler and Erdogan”
Main News
Anastasiades wants US support on EEZ
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Regional/International Relations, Energy
OVERVIEW
President Nicos Anastasiades will seek to secure US support for the sovereign rights of Cyprus within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), similar to that expressed by the EU recently, Government Spokesman Prodromos Prodromou said.
Prodromou told the Cyprus News Agency on Sunday that Anastasiades will meet with US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on the sidelines of the trilateral summit between Cyprus, Israel and Greece that will take place in Jerusalem on Wednesday.
The EU reiterates its solidarity and support for the rights of the Republic of Cyprus in the EEZ, therefore, the President will seek to have something similar from the US, Prodromou said.
A number of other bilateral issues are
expected to be on the agenda at the meeting with Pompeo, he said, such as
ExxonMobil’s presence in Cyprus’ EEZ, as well as the US arms embargo on Cyprus.
As regards the trilateral summit, Prodromou said that it will focus mostly on
energy security issues.
The trilateral cooperation is being
upgraded through the presence of Pompeo, he said, as it conveys the message
that the US takes into account the role that all three countries play towards stability
and security in the region. US interests and the interests of Israel, Cyprus
and Greece are aligned.
As regards the Cyprus problem, commenting on TC leader Mustafa Akinci’s
statements to Kathimerini (published
on Sunday) that for TCs a positive vote is the minimum and anything short of that
will not be acceptable, Prodromou said that Turkey and the TCs focus only on
political equality which is one of the six parameters, set by the UN Secretary-General.
He said that there is nothing from them on
the issues of security or territory, which is not an encouraging sign.
The dailies also report that the new Greek FM,
Giorgos Katrougalos, will arrive on the island on Monday to coordinate with
Nicosia ahead of his meeting with his Turkish counterpart in Antalya later in
the week.
KEY ACTORS
Prodromou
>> Anastasiades will seek US support for Cyprus’ sovereign rights in its EEZ.
>> Pompeo’s presence at trilateral summit sends message of acknowledgement of role all three countries play for stability and security in the region.
>> The interests of the US are aligned with those of Israel, Cyprus and Greece.
>> Turkey and the TCs focus only on political equality which is only one of the six parameters set by the UN Secretary-General. It is not encouraging that they don’t do the same as regards security and territory.
Akinci seeks second stint
Politis
Governance & Power Sharing, Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Mustafa Akinci has decided to run for a second term in the 2020 elections in the north feeling that conditions not only favour an extension of his term at the helm of the TC community but also dictate it, Politis reports.
Citing sources, Politis reported that following consultations between Akinci and his close associates, the conclusion was reached that existing conditions on the Cyprus problem and internal affairs leave room for optimism for his possible re-election.
The same sources said that Akinci appears more confident to claim a second term after his latest meeting with Anastasiades and contacts with UN envoy Jane Holl Lute.
In the past weeks, Akinci has been making public interventions on burning issues for the TCs, daring to say things the ‘government’ cannot, the daily said.
According to the daily, Akinci has an advantage compared to other hopefuls since he knows better than anyone the situation as regards the Cyprus problem talks and what his community wants, and he has also said he is willing to review his approach as regards a decentralised federal solution.
In the case of a final collapse of the talks, he is the one most concerned about the degree of assimilation of the ‘TRNC’ with Turkish reality than any utopian models for its continuation and reinforcement, Politis said.
The daily said that the latest events in the north (arrest of politician over a book, murder of a businessman and the numbers of settlers) urged many TCs to mobilise around Akinci, who continues to seek to rescue TC identity and does not express Ankara’s line.
He is expected to run against Kudret Ozersay, who, after being appointed ‘foreign minister’, has reinforced his leadership profile and proven he is Ankara’s top interlocutor in the north, while keeping communication lines open with the UN and the GC side.
Ozersay’s disadvantages are that, in the eyes of TC voters, he aligns too much with Erdogan’s government, has a fickle policy as regards the Cyprob, is not in favour of any federal solution and comes off as aggressive on issues concerning the EEZ among other things, the daily said.