Front Page Headlines
Words ‘will not deter’ Turkey
Turkey’s EEZ incursion is a huge ‘provocation that could destabilise the whole region’.
- Coalition in north collapses over nepotism
- Lost heritage stands out in broken minarets
‘Our state is unfortified’
How do citizens respond on Turkey’s actions in the EEZ. ‘Do you believe the Republic of Cyprus is in a position to protect its external boundaries or not?’ 21 per cent said ‘Yes’, 79 per cent, ‘No’.
- Where does Ankara plan on drilling in the Cypriot EEZ
- ‘Massacre’ at the National Council after the proposal of Andros Kyprianou for Anastasiades’ return to the talks
- Nicos Katsourides: The invasion of the ‘Conqueror’ and testing our associates and partners (opinion piece)
- Position: The marine Attila
AKEL’s proposal and the big picture
Unanimous condemnation of drillings by parties. The Cyprob is expected to be seen through the prism of the settlement of a much bigger package. Request for the president to take initiative towards UN Secretary-General and the EU for the resumption of negotiations. The scene is expected to become clearer after the European Parliament elections.
- At the doorstep of a memorandum – The economy of Turkey is getting worse according to diplomatic circles, with the country seeking stability through the EU, which is its largest trading partner on the planet. Maybe that is why Turkey does not want to close the EU doors for an enlargement, even in the distant future. On the other hand, of course, the Republic of Cyprus has to also show credibility in efforts to resolve the Cyprob.
- Euro-elections: DISY’s percentages show a decline
- Interview (with Nicos Rolandis): “We stayed at wishful thinking”
A package to defuse crisis
Scenario for a dialogue on everything concerning the Cyprob, energy, Greece-Turkey relations. Turkish machinations behind the scenes for interested mediators.
- In full mobilisation for Turkey to bear the cost – Nicos Christodoulides briefs tomorrow the EU foreign ministers. Pressure on two levels from Nicosia.
- Anastasiades to Guterres: He requested an invitation for two to New York
- Andros Kyprianou: Niyazi (Kizilyurek) is not saying anything different than AKEL
- Turkey adopts a Nazi attitude in the Mediterranean
- Turkish pursuits between Cyprus and Kastellorizo
Turkey’s provocation in the EEZ aims at negotiation on natural gas
Ankara’s goal is talks between the leaders on hydrocarbons.
- Energy: French Total enters five blocks in the EEZ – Announcements coming shortly.
- Interview with (Energy Minister) Giorgos Lakkotrypis: Developments unfolding without Turkey
- Tayyip Erdogan: He is looking for a lifejacket in Syria-Cyprus
- DISY-AKEL in the battle of polarisation – The backstage of DISY’s controversy with AKEL.
- Averof Neophytou: DISY would have a TC candidate after reunification
- Nicolas Papadopoulos: The crisis with ‘Fatih’ (drillship) vindicated DIKO
- Nicos Tornaritis: Under a European security umbrella
Initiatives are the answer to the Conqueror (‘Fatih’ drillship)
Initiatives to resume talks are the recipe for dealing with Turkish provocation with the presence of the Conqueror in the Cypriot EEZ and Turkey’s threats on drilling. AKEL has tabled concrete proposals, recalling that the faits accomplis were always created in the absence of negotiations. The National Council announced in a joint statement that “Turkish actions hamper the efforts of a peaceful settlement of the Cyprus problem.”
- Refugees a proof of the… success story – Elderly refugees go up and down the staircases of the apartment building they live in, by literally crawling. If they cannot, then they stay locked up until the end. It is a torture to go to church, to carry upstairs a gas cylinder.
Alarm bell
GESY (National Health Scheme) arrives in a few days but there are still problems, shortages and pending issues. Involved bodies but also MPs point out in a survey by Alithia the difficulties we will be faced with from the get go of GESY. (DISY MP) Nicos Nouris: It is particularly worrying that procedures have not yet been completed for pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies.
- Rare unanimity but only for a while… – The National Council condemned Turkey’s violations.
- Occupied areas: They booed (new Istanbul Mayor) Ekrem Imamoglu as a ‘spawn of the Greeks’
- Analysis: Our ‘allies’ have been put to the test
Main News
Kyprianou: Anastasiades is confused and unable to decide on Cyprob
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis, Simerini, Sunday Mail
Energy, Negotiations Process, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
AKEL on Saturday submitted a set of proposals to the National Council that unanimously condemned Turkey’s actions in the Cypriot EEZ. Meanwhile reports on a possible link between energy and the Cyprus problem increase, the papers report.
Following a near three-hour meeting where President Nicos Anastasiades briefed political leaders and former presidents on the latest developments on energy, the Cyprus problem and his intervention at the informal European Council meeting in Romania, the National Council said it unanimously “condemned the flagrant violation of the Republic of Cyprus’ sovereign rights through the illegal activities in the Cypriot EEZ and all other illegal activities that violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the RoC, an EU member-state.”
“It urgently calls for the immediate end to all Turkish acts and threats of violence, in order to reduce tension and for respect of peace and security in the Eastern Mediterranean,” a statement said.
It also highlighted the importance of EU and international solidarity and reaffirmed the National Council’s commitment to the peaceful solution of the Cyprus problem through the UN procedures.
“Turkish actions are undermining and hampering these efforts,” the statement said.
The National Council stressed that without an end to Turkey’s actions there could be no prospect of continuing efforts to resume the process of resuming talks.
According to the dailies, AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou submitted a set of proposals aimed at keeping hope alive for a solution to the Cyprus problem.
Haravgi reports that Kyprianou said that he suggested to the National Council that Anastasiades must inform the UN Secretary-General that he is ready to negotiate based on the Guterres Framework, the convergences achieved so far and the non-paper on the implementation of a settlement. He also suggested two negotiation tables, one on the internal aspects of the Cyprus problem the other on the international aspects.
“And make clear that we do not accept timeframes but that we will commit to exert every effort, and if there is a corresponding response within the agreed framework from the Turkish side, to reach an agreement the soonest possible,” he said.
The third proposal was to reaffirm the Christofias-Talat convergence on the exploitation of natural gas and proceeds from its exploitation, which would solve the hydrocarbons issue with the solution of the Cyprus problem.
Asked whether the GC side had distanced itself from this convergence, he said it did not but that Turkey is trying to find a fake alibi that it wants to serve the interests of the TCs.
He also expressed AKEL’s concern as regards developments in the TC community. “If things develop negatively in the TC community, as of next April we will be faced with political powers and politicians that will insist on a two-state solution, just like Turkey,” he said, according to Haravgi.
Politis reported that Kyprianou, in a dramatic move, requested that the position of AKEL be recorded in the minutes of the National Council that the stagnation observed in the Cyprus problem and the new faits accomplis Turkey is creating will mathematically lead Cyprus to a partition.”
Kyprianou told Politis that the government and the president are confused and cannot make any decisions, so he wanted AKEL’s position/warning to be recorded, if anything, for reasons of history.
On the other hand, the paper said, the assessment of the government, but also of pro-government circles is that the Cyprus problem will be found anyway in a more comprehensive package. The main package concerns the economic situation of Turkey which, under normal circumstances and on the basis of its economy’s indicators, should already be under a (financial) memorandum and under the control of the International Monetary Fund.
Also, within the next few weeks the EU will, in its enlargement report, look into Turkey’s prospects, while the US and Turkey continue their diplomatic dialogue on the fate of the S-400, the F-35 and Syria. The Cyprus issue and Turkey’s new moves in the Cypriot EEZ will also be part of an overall package, according to the same estimates, Politis reported.
DISY leader Averof Neophytou, said after the meeting that Kyprianou and AKEL had every right to express their opinion. “The country is under threat, it is at risk, unity must be above all,” he said, according to Politis.
Citing sources, Phileleftheros reports that Anastasiades informed the National Council that the government is mobilising at two levels, the one concerns measures against Turkey and the other against companies involved.
Nicosia had mobilised long before the Turkish drillship ‘Fatih’ anchored in the Cypriot EEZ, the daily reports, and had already addressed 14 companies that are active in the sector of hydrocarbons extraction and warned them that any actions within the Cypriot EEZ without the government’s permission was illegal. Of those, 10 had replied they would not get involved in any consultations with Turkey. The other four, it has emerged later on, said that they did not cooperate with Turkey.
The other level is the measures that will be taken at state level, including the call by Nicosia for measures by the EU concerning the upgraded customs agreement with Turkey and pre-accession programmes. Pressure by Cyprus can also be exercised through the help Turkey receives from the EU for the reception of migrants, Phileleftheros reported. The majority of parties expressed their support to the government’s measures at the political and legal level, it reported.
Alithia reports that although it had been agreed parties would make no statements after the meeting, the Greens rushed to say in an announcement that they disagree with linking Turkish aggression with acceptance of Turkish terms for the resumption of the talks.
The party said that it was very difficult to issue the joint statement because some parties insisted on linking these two issues which is exactly what Turkey wants. The Greens said that despite their reservations as to the last paragraph of the joint statement, they avoided making any statements to safeguard unity.
Sunday Mail reports that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday evening that stability in Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean is only possible by protecting the rights and interests of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots.
During the Iftar (the first dinner after Ramadan’s fasting) ruling AKP hosted for the diplomatic community in Ankara, Erdogan said that his government was working for peace and security in the Eastern Mediterranean.
“I believe that all the parties concerned
have seen that we will not turn a blind eye to the faits accomplis that are
being attempted in this region,” he said.
Turkey wants to solve this issue through
meetings, dialogue and cooperation, he said, according to the Sunday Mail.
KEY ACTORS
National Council
>> Condemns Turkey’s illegal activities that flagrantly violate the RoC’s sovereign rights and territorial integrity and calls for an immediate end to such acts and threats to reduce tension and for respect of peace and security in the East Med.
>> It is committed to the solution of the Cyprob within UN parameters but Turkey’s actions undermine and hamper these efforts.
>> Welcomes solidarity by the EU and international community.
>> Unless Turkey stops these actions there can be no efforts to resume the process to lead to talks.
Kyprianou (AKEL)
>> Wants Anastasiades to inform UNSG he is ready to negotiate based on the Guterres Framework the convergences achieved so far and the non-paper on implementation of a settlement.
>> Suggests two negotiation tables on internal & international aspects of the Cyprob.
>> The GC side should not accept timeframes but commit to exert every effort to reach an agreement the soonest possible if Turkish side sticks within framework.
>> Calls for reaffirmation of the Christofias-Talat convergence on the exploitation of natural gas and proceeds, which would solve the hydrocarbons issue with the solution of the Cyprob.
>> Concerned that negative developments in the TC community will mean that politicians and parties will come to power next April that want a two-state solution just as Turkey does.
>> Wants it on record for historical reasons that AKEL has warned that stagnation will lead to partition, fearing the government & president are confused and cannot make any decisions.
Neophytou (DISY)
>>Calls for unity citing that the country, which is under threat, must come above all else.
Greens
>> Disagree with linking Turkish aggression in the EEZ with acceptance of Turkey’s terms for the resumption of talks. Some parties insisted on linking these two issues at the National Council which is exactly what Turkey wants.
Erdogan (Turkey)
>> Stability in Cyprus and the East Med can only be possible by protecting the rights and interests of Turkey & the TCs.
>> Turkey is working for peace and security in the East Med but will not turn a blind eye to the faits accomplis that are being attempted in the region.
>> Turkey wants to solve this issue through meetings, dialogue and cooperation.
Anastasiades wants a meeting with Akinci in New York
Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
In an analysis by Andreas Pimbishis, Phileleftheros reports that Anastasiades has asked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during their latest meeting to invite him and Akinci to New York as part of efforts for the resumption of talks.
Prior to this suggestion, two proposals on a meeting between the two leaders and on a meeting of all interested parties with the same composition as in Crans Montana had been rejected by the TC side, the daily said.
What is being sought for over a year now is an agreement on the terms of reference that would be the basis for the resumption of the talks but UN envoy Jane Holl Lute’s efforts did not yield the expected results.
Anastasiades wanted to make a new move in Beijing last month, where he had a brief meeting with Guterres, hoping for some positive development. At his meeting with the UNSG, Anastasiades proposed that Guterres invite the two leaders to go to New York. An invitation from the Secretary-General would be difficult for anyone to dismiss, but even if someone responded negatively, then they would remain exposed and would be responsible for the wreck of the effort, the daily said.
But after Turkey sent its drillship in the Cypriot EEZ it would be utopic for someone to believe that anyone would like to invite the two leaders even to an informal meeting in New York or elsewhere. It is not being ruled out but chances are minimal, unless some people want to make it difficult on the GC side and promote the invitation for a meeting of the two leaders with the UN Secretary-General. In such a case, things will be particularly difficult for Anastasiades. Either he will accept to go to a meeting no matter what Turkey does in Cyprus’ sea area and have to face reactions internally or turn it down and risk being blamed for rejecting a call by the UNSG and likely being burdened with the failure of UN efforts. A clearer picture in this direction will be seen with Lute’s next visit. She is expected in late May or early June, the daily reported citing information.