Front Page Headlines
The president achieved ‘tea and sympathy’
The 27 EU leaders only gave their oral support. No reference by (President of the EU Council Donald) Tusk to measures against Turkey. Hopes for something substantive were postponed for May 28.
- Energy: Good news for block 7 and ‘Aphrodite’
They offered us the obvious
The EU supports Cyprus, calls for respect from Turkey which it will monitor. Nicosia is satisfied by Tusk’s statement.
- They broke it up after Cavusoglu’s visit –The pseudo-government collapsed.
- Refugee estate in Timi up in the air –It is being claimed by a GC user of TC land.
- (AKEL-DISY) Moving to the rhythm of intense polarisation
They didn’t do what they had to
In cases of women’s disappearances, they did not even bother to investigate their own information even on women they themselves had deported. That is what was said yesterday in the House where complaints were made about the racist and sexist treatment of foreign women. Criminal negligence and distortions that have never been rectified.
- (Anastasiades) requested active support, he got a statement
- Toward a new ‘government’ by (UBP leader Ersin) Tatar-(HP leader Kudret) Ozersay
- The renegotiation on the proceeds from block 12 ends, and decisions are being made
Tusk says Brussels stands with Cyprus
Juncker said ‘I am a Cypriot’ when asked about Turkey’s activity in Cyprus’ EEZ.
- Four-party coalition ‘government’ in the north collapses
Turkey under surveillance
The government is satisfied with the European Commission’s support. Anastasiades: The European Council will monitor the issue of Turkish provocation in Cyprus’ EEZ either on May 28 when we will have the extraordinary Council or at the regular Council in June and decisions will be taken accordingly.
- Towards an Ozersay-Tatar marriage with Ankara’s blessings – Occupied areas: Consultations started on forming a new ‘government’. (Former TC leader Mehmet Ali) Talat: Those who a year ago were refusing to even have coffee with UBP now want to have one slowly slowly?
Main News
Anastasiades: If Turkey continues EEZ actions, EU will take measures against it
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Energy, EU Matters, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
While the EU limited its actions to just pledging solidarity with Nicosia on the matter of Turkey’s intended offshore drilling in Cyprus’ EEZ, the government said it was satisfied, arguing that decisions on measures against Turkey will be taken at a later stage, the papers report.
After President Nicos Anastasiades addressed fellow EU leaders on the matter at the informal European Council summit in Sibiu, Romania on Thursday, the body’s President, Donald Tusk said that the EU “stands united behind Cyprus and expects Turkey to respect the sovereign rights of EU member states.”
“The European Council will continue to follow this development closely,” he added.
Cyprus Mail reports that earlier, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker declared he was ‘a Cypriot’. Walking into the informal Council meeting, Juncker was asked how the bloc ought to deal with Turkish actions in the island’s EEZ. “I am a Cypriot,” he replied, hinting at EU solidarity with Cyprus, the daily reported.
After the summit, Anastasiades said Cyprus’ EU partners responded positively to his speech but that no decisions would be made on Thursday since the summit in Sibiu was an informal one. But if Turkey continued to violate international law “there would be decisions in time”, he said.
According to the Cyprus Mail, unnamed Greek diplomatic sources told the Cyprus News Agency that steps being contemplated include sanctions on individuals or companies involved with Turkey’s incursion into Cyprus’ EEZ. Another potential measure might be denying Ankara access to pre-EU accession funds, the same sources said.
Speaking to Euronews, Anastasiades said: “The European Council will monitor the issue of Turkish provocation in the Cypriot EEZ either on May 28 when we will have the extraordinary Council or in the June regular Council and decisions will be taken accordingly.” Anastasiades said he cited examples on when the EU imposed sanctions on third countries for violations of international law, and pointed out Turkey’s failure to meet its obligations as a candidate country toward an EU member state, showing disrespect not only to the member state but also Europe itself.
The president said he pointed out to his counterparts that actions and not words were needed with Turkey.
Haravgi reports that Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said on Thursday that the government was in the final stages of having the first arrest warrants concerning the Turkish vessels in Cyprus’ EEZ issued.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, asked whether sanctions should be imposed on Turkey or if diplomacy should prevail, replied that diplomacy comes first.
Alithia, citing diplomatic sources, reported that Tsipras, during his own intervention at the summit stressed the importance of energy security and new sources coming from the Eastern Mediterranean. If the EU is not in a position to protect them, then it cannot have an important and reliable role in regional developments, Tsipras told his EU counterparts, Alithia reports.
Anastasiades had also briefed the heads of parties who are members of the European People’s Party (EPP) at an EPP summit in Sibiu, ahead of the Council meeting. The president raised the issue of restrictive measures “against all those involved in Turkey’s unlawful actions” in the Republic of Cyprus’ EEZ and the Eastern Mediterranean.
“The time has come for a collective response to these challenges with actions beyond the usual messages that have proven ineffective,” he said addressing the EPP summit. “It is clear that all of the EU’s rigorous messages to Turkey have hit a wall.”
The ultimate goal of the measures should be “to end Turkey’s unlawful actions that are likely to further destabilise the region,” he said, adding: “It is by far the most serious violation of the sovereign rights of Cyprus and we are faced with an unprecedented escalation of Turkey’s unlawful actions in the Eastern Mediterranean,” he said. He reiterated that these actions “equal to a new invasion of Cyprus by Turkey.”
The EPP said in a statement it strongly condemned the recent Turkish drilling activities within the EEZ arguing that this was “a grave violation of Cyprus’ sovereignty and works against EU’s interests”.
“We showed full solidarity with our friends in Cyprus and called on Ankara to cease these actions in the Eastern Mediterranean immediately. We will follow closely the developments in the region and when necessary, push for the appropriate measures,” EPP President Joseph Daul said.
Britain’s Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt also said the UK was concerned by Turkey’s intention to begin offshore drilling operations in Cyprus’ EZZ. “This situation MUST be deescalated and all parties show restraint,” he said on Twitter. “Hydrocarbons development should benefit all Cypriots and support a settlement.”
On the sidelines of the summit, Anastasiades had meetings with Tusk, Juncker, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Tsipras, among others.
Phileleftheros reports that Tusk, in just 32 words, stated the obvious. Nicosia may appear satisfied by Tusk’s statement but had gone to Sibiu with much greater expectations of securing strong support, the daily said.
Citing diplomatic sources, the daily reports that the government assesses positively Tusk’s statement that the EU will closely monitor the situation. Following Anastasiades’ intervention, some EU leaders stated their support to Cyprus such as Macron whose intervention was very important, sources said, adding that the government would have liked for Tusk to use some of the points the French president made to make his statement a stronger one, Phileleftheros reports.
Politis reports that a statement by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that his country will manage to join the EU despite attempts of some for the opposite, clearly shows what interests Turkey. “The EU needs Turkey more than Turkey needs the EU,” Erdogan said, according to the daily.
Erdogan is determined to succeed in joining the EU, which highlights how important it is for Turkey to keep the membership prospect alive, the paper said, adding that this where the EU Commission is expected to focus on in the near future.
Circles within the EU told Politis that Cyprus has an ace in its sleeve which will be used within the next few days. On May 29 a draft assessment will be presented on the progress of candidate countries for EU enlargement, including progress on Turkey’s relations with regard to EU issues and the conditions set for it to move forward towards the European path. The Commission is expected to send a strong message to Turkey through this report.
Sources within the EU report that Turkey knows that it is not easy to continue its accession, however it wants to keep that perspective alive in any way and this makes this report crucial for what’s to come, Politis reported.
KEY ACTORS
Tusk (European Council)
>> The entire EU supports Cyprus and expects Turkey to respect its sovereign rights.
>> The European Council will continue to closely monitor developments.
Juncker (European Commission)
>> He is a Cypriot
Anastasiades
>> While EU countries responded positively to his arguments, no decision will be made yet on measures against Turkey. But if the latter continues to violate international law, there will be.
>> Turkey’s failure to meet its obligations as a candidate country toward an EU member state is disrespectful also to the EU.
>> All the EU’s messages to Turkey so far have hit a wall. Actions and not words are needed.
>> Calls for collective response & measures against all those involved in Turkey’s illegal actions aimed at putting a stop to these moves that could further destabilise the region.
>> Unprecedented escalation of Turkey’s unlawful actions isthe most serious violation of the sovereign rights of Cyprus, equal to a new invasion.
Tsipras (Greece)
>> Diplomacy must be deployed before any sanctions.
Daul (EPP)
>> Condemns Turkish drilling activities that is a grave violation of Cyprus’ sovereignty and against EU interests.
>> Pledges solidarity with Cyprus and calls on Turkey to cease these actions immediately, warning they would push for measures when necessary.
Hunt (UK)
>> UK concerned by Turkey’s intention to begin offshore drilling in Cyprus as its EZZ.
>> Calls for de-escalation and on parties to show restraint.
>> Hydrocarbons should benefit all Cypriots and support a solution to the Cyprob.
Erdogan (Turkey)
>> Turkey will join the EU despite efforts by some to prevent it.
>> The EU needs Turkey more than Turkey needs the EU.
Government officially announces northern EEZ boundaries
Haravgi, Politis
Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Several developments are expected very soon on energy issues, the papers reported.
Politis reported that the government is in a rush to sort out loose ends under the pressure of Turkish provocations in the EEZ.
Yesterday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs announced through the Official Gazette the north and northwest boundaries of the EEZ of the Republic. These are the coordinates of the EEZ unilaterally established on the basis of the median line with Turkey that were filed last Saturday with the UN, the daily reports.
Meanwhile, Haravgi cites energy minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis saying that two very crucial legal issues that are pending need to be answered before a deal is reached with the consortium of energy companies Noble-Delek-Shell on the development of the Aphrodite gas field.
The minister told the paper that reports with details on the content of the agreement were inaccurate and called for patience until the negotiations are over and political decisions are taken by the president and party leaders after they are briefed on the matter in around 15 days.
Lakkotrypis also told Haravgi that there was a positive outcome to negotiations with French Total on the licensing of block 7 and that announcements would follow, possibly on Friday also concerning the Total-ENI consortium and other blocks such as 2, 3, 8 and 9.
Education Technical Committee organises first bicommunal teachers’ seminar
Alithia, Haravgi
CBMs
OVERVIEW
The first bicommunal teachers’ seminar will take place on Saturday with the participation of 50 GC and 50 TC educators, reports the press.
The event, taking place at the Home for Cooperation, is part of the Imagine programme, which is under the auspices of the Technical Committee on Education, and aims at bringing together teachers from both sides of the divide.
Co-chair of the Committee, Michalinos Zembylas said the participants will be trained jointly on the principles governing ‘Imagine’, namely education for peace, anti-racism and human rights.
Referring to the importance of these seminars, Zembylas said that the mechanisms are now in place for bicommunal education of teachers on issues of concern for both communities such as combating racism, sexism, and more generally the cultivation of education against violence against women and minorities.
Zembylas said that on Wednesday, the pilot phase of student study visits of Nicosia was concluded where GC and TC pupils had the opportunity to visit together cultural monuments within the Nicosia walls. Three walks were held.
The Committee has received very positive feedback from the pupils who participated in these walks, Zembylas said, adding that improvements are continually being made to achieve the objectives of this new initiative. During the first full two years ‘Imagine’ has been implemented, around 3,700 GC and TC primary and high school pupils participated in the programmes and 375 teachers, the papers report.
AKEL: Kizilyurek’s candidacy sends the message that GCs and TCs can co-exist
Phileleftheros
EU Matters
OVERVIEW
The leaders of ruling party DISY, Averof Neophytou and main opposition AKEL Andros Kyprianou crossed swords again ahead of the Euro-elections, this time on Alpha TV, while AKEL also took a stand against accusations by MEP candidate Sener Levent.
According to the paper, the two party leaders are daily enriching their agendas with themes they can confront each other with, including AKEL’s TC MEP candidate, Turkish provocations in the EEZ and possible responsibilities of the president, even older peace plans such as the Ghali Set of Ideas and the American-Canadian plan.
The closer to the elections the higher the confrontational tone, the paper said, aimed at garnering as much voter support as possible.
During the show on Alpha, Neophytou said he had no reason to apologise to anyone for the questions he put forth on the candidacy of TCs, pointing out that the questions concern AKEL and not any particular candidate. He insisted on the question on whether AKEL agreed that TC candidacies constitute recognition of the Republic of Cyprus and rejection of the pseudo-state. He said his party did not question TC academic Niyazi Kizilyurek’s positions but AKEL’s.
Kyprianou, who reacted strongly, said that he reiterated many times that the candidacy of Kizilyurek is not aimed at representing the TC community but that his presence on the AKEL ticket was aimed at sending the message that GCs and TCs can co-exist.
Meanwhile, AKEL spokesman Stefanos Stefanou took a swipe at Levent, who had accused the party and Kizilyurek of seeking the TC vote but if elected, their candidate would in fact represent Turkey.
Stefanou said that Levent’s only concern is to accuse AKEL and Kizilyurek and wondered what is Levent’s role after all and what is the aim of his candidacy.
KEY ACTORS
Neophytou (DISY)
>> No reason to apologise to anyone for wanting an answer from AKEL on TC MEP candidacies. The questions are solely addressed to AKEL and not any candidate.
>> AKEL should reply on whether it agrees that TC candidacies represent a recognition of the RoC and rejection of the pseudo-state.
>> DISY does not question Kizilyurek’s positions but AKEL’s.
Kyprianou (AKEL)
>> Repeatedly stated that Kizilyurek’s candidacy is not aimed at representing the TC community but to send the message that GCs and TCs can co-exist.
Stefanou (AKEL)
>> Questions the aim of Levent’s candidacy.
Ozersay most probable contender to form new coalition with UBP
Alithia, Haravgi, Cyprus Mail, Phileleftheros, Politis
Governance & Power sharing
OVERVIEW
All dailies report on the collapse of the four-party coalition ‘government’ in the north and efforts by parties to form a new one.
Phileleftheros reports that the pseudo-government collapsed right after the recent visit of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in the north. The excuse was allocation of land to the son of Serdar Denktash, leader of DP, one of the four coalition parties that drew the ire of Ankara’s chosen one, ‘Deputy Prime Minister’ and ‘Foreign Minister’ Kudret Ozersay.
Citing Yeni Duzen, the paper reported that a coalition between UBP and HP is on the cards and that Ozersay will run in the 2020 ‘presidential elections’. The paper also reports on claims that Turkey had separate meetings with HP leader Ozersay and UBP leader Ersin Tatar and that the coalition collapsed due to the delay in signing the economic protocol with Ankara that led to inadequate financial assistance from Turkey.
Alithia reports that the most probable scenario is an UBP-HP coalition that has Turkey’s blessings, while Haravgi reports that Ozersay is under fire for the break-up of the ‘government’ by Denktash and General Secretary of CTP, Erdogan Sorakin.
Politis reports that what everyone was expecting finally happened and that Turkey’s chosen one is working toward building a coalition, with an eye on the ‘presidential elections’.
Unsolved Cyprob does not help situation with mass migrant arrivals
Haravgi
Migration & Citizenship
OVERVIEW
Interior ministry permanent secretary Kypros Kyprianou said on Thursday that the government’s goal is to create two more migrant reception centres.
Addressing a conference on migrant reception organised by the ministry, Kyprianou said that as long as the Cyprus problem remains unsolved, the problem (of migration movement) as regards the occupied areas will remain too, which is basically “a black hole” the daily reported.
Kyprianou said Cyprus receives around 1,000 applications a month for political asylum, making it first in the EU, in terms of population ratio.
Conference attendees also heard that when Cyprus first joined the EU, 99 per cent of applications for asylum were baseless, but today, half of them concern cases in need of international protection.
GC administrator of TC land in Timi sues state over complex property case
Phileleftheros
Property
OVERVIEW
A GC man who owns a piece of land in Timi which he had bought from a TC prior to 1974 and on which now sits a state refugee estate, is taking the government to court after receiving no answer to his proposal to give them the land in exchange with relaxations so that he can build a hotel on the Timi beach. The proposal concerns only the land on which the refugee estate is now sitting.
The complainant, Yiannakis Papas told Phileleftheros that he had bought that piece of land which is around 2,000 hectares from its TC owner before 1974 and on which, except from the refugee estate, now sits part of the Andreas Papandreou airbase, part of the Paphos airport, roads, houses, shops and agricultural fields.
He said he gave the heirs of the original TC owner €2m as down payment for the €10m the agreement provides for, which concerns 150 plots.
Papas said he was shocked to find out that the parts where the airbase and the airport sit on were expropriated and transferred to the government around one year ago. Now the government wants him to pay land taxes amounting to €1.3 m for the entire property, despite the fact parts of it are being used by the state. He is now suing the government seeking €40m in compensation for loss of income since 1974 to date.
An official of the interior ministry told the daily that four plots, whose initial TC owner left Cyprus before 1950 have been transferred to Papas but some of his proposals are not in line with the law that provides that the sale of TC land in the government-controlled areas in not possible when the owner possesses GC land in the occupied areas.
The €1.3m requested from Papas concern his duties as the administrator of this property, but the matter will be handled by the minister himself, the official said, according to the paper.