GCC Press Review 6 Jun 2019

Front Page Headlines

Politis

A conflict divorce between Okypy (State health services organisation) and (former Okypy director Nicos) Polyzos

There is nothing illegal in the decision on (Polyzos’) dismissal, says the official side. His employment was on a probationary phase for an 18-month period. His relations with superiors and subordinates were difficult and problematic.

  • The (gas) deal goes through parties – AKEL sees misleading information on the proceeds. The new contract on Aphrodite (gas field) is almost the same as that on (offshore block ) 10.
  • Parties: Did they get the message? (Euro-elections results)

Phileleftheros

The public sector a wound for GESY (National Health Scheme)

The private sector is gradually becoming more familiar (with GESY) but problems in hospitals cause upset. Among the headaches is the removal of Polyzos, who was responsible for the reform in the state hospitals.

  • Anastasiades’ terms for the resumption of talks – What messages he is sending to the UN.
  • 57,1 per cent of proceeds from ‘Aphrodite’ will go to the state – Between $8bn and $13bn.
  • The US wants reinforcement of the strategic partnership (with Cyprus)
  • A political change being planned in AKEL (following the EU-elections results)
  • Work starting on the connection hub of the EuroAsia Interconnector in Kofinou – An agreement has been signed.

Haravgi

Experimenting at the expense of children

Without any consultation with teachers, students and parents, the government tabled a bill to the House to suspend for one year the introduction of the separation of the school leaving exams and the exams for entry in higher education institutions. Once again, it appears unprepared and incapable of supporting its decisions by experimenting on children.

Cyprus Mail

New €7.9bn gas deal with Noble

Energy minister says agreement for Aphrodite is good ‘under the circumstances’.

Alithia

They dismissed Polyzos in no-time

The main reasons for the dismissal of Okypy’s director: he was accused by the organisation’s financial director of workplace bullying tactics, bad behaviour, threats, and for ‘bullying’ both her and his subordinates as well as for weaknesses in the management and administration of Okypy. My dismissal is an arbitrary and illegal act, Mr Polyzos says in response.

  • The proceeds from ‘Aphrodite’ to amount to $9,4bn – Exploitation in 2024.

Main News

Anastasiades: The GC side remains committed to resumption of talks based on Guterres Framework, hope others are too

Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process, Regional/International Relations

OVERVIEW

The daily reports that President Nicos Anastasiades has sent several messages to the UN through his speech on Tuesday evening during a reception at the British High Commissioner’s residence on the occasion of the birthday of Queen Elisabeth.

According to the paper, UN special representative Elizabeth Spehar must have kept several notes based on what Anastasiades said, which could be food for thought at the UN headquarters as regards future steps on the Cyprus problem.

In short, what the president indirectly asked, is that the UN get the message that there can be no progress as regards the talks while Turkish provocations in the region continue, the paper said.

Anastasiades said that the latest alarming developments within the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus “constitute a blatant violation of our sovereign rights and of international and EU law,” and that the situation deters efforts to resume negotiations on the Cyprus problem, particularly in a period when the UN Secretary-General is trying to provide renewed impetus to the process, following the appointment of his special envoy Jane Holl Lute.

He also said the GC side remains strongly and truly committed to the resumption of the negotiations on the six-point framework that Guterres has set as the basis for the way forward but that all stakeholders involved should clearly determine whether or not they have the sincere readiness to engage constructively in meaningful negotiations so as to finally establish the conditions for achieving lasting peace.

As regards the “recent escalating provocative actions” in the Deneia buffer zone, it is important to maintain a calm situation throughout the whole island, he said. “To this end, I count on your support both through your government and the British contingents of UNFICYP, in order to avoid a deterioration of the situation which would also negatively affect the prospect of resuming negotiations,” he said.

Anastasiades also expressed his satisfaction over the reply letter by British Prime Minister Theresa May through which she opposed Turkey’s planned drilling activities and fully recognised the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus to explore and exploit its natural resources. 

“I therefore ignore and do not give attention to any statements contrary to the above by any UK government official which might negatively affect the joint aim of further advancing our partnership,” he said. [Reviewer’s note: He was referring to comments by Minister of State for Europe Sir Alan Duncan on disputed sea areas off Cyprus]

British High Commissioner, Stephen Lillie said that Britain, as a committed friend and partner of the Cypriot people, and as a guarantor power, has continued to support a just, democratic and lasting solution to the Cyprus problem, so that Cyprus can achieve her full potential as a regional hub of peace, stability and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean. He said his country has followed recent developments in the Mediterranean with concern.

“We believe it is critical for stability in the region and for the integrity of the Rules-Based International System that disputes are resolved, not through force, militarisation or coercion, but through dialogue and in accordance with international law.  We have called on Turkey not to drill in this area,” Lillie said, according to Phileleftheros.

KEY ACTORS
Anastasiades
>>
The latest developments in the  EEZ are alarming and a blatant violation of the RoC’s sovereign rights and of international and EU law. They also hinder efforts to resume negotiations on the Cyprob at a time when the UNSG is trying to give a further push to the process.
>> The GC side remains committed to the resumption of the negotiations on the six-point framework that Guterres has set but all other stakeholders should also state whether they are on board and willing to engage in meaningful negotiations that would lead to lasting peace.
>> Counts on the support of the UK and of the British contingents of UNFICYP to avoid deterioration of the situation in the buffer zone following the recent escalating provocative actions in Deneia. Such incidents affect negatively the prospects of resuming the talks.
>> Satisfied by May’s reassurances that the UK opposes Turkey’s planned drilling activities and fully recognises the sovereign rights of the RoC to explore and exploit its natural resources. Chooses to ignore statements by any UK government official that are contrary to what May said.
>> Comments such as those by Sir Alan could negatively affect further advancing of Cyprus-UK partnership.

Lillie (UK High Commissioner)
>>
Britain as a committed friend and partner & as a guarantor power continues to support a just, democratic and lasting solution to the Cyprob which would help the island achieve its full potential as a regional hub of peace, stability and prosperity in the East Med.
>>  The UK follows recent developments in the East Med with concern & has called on Turkey not to drill in this area.
>> The UK believes that for the stability of the region disputes must be resolved not through force, militarisation or coercion, but through dialogue and in accordance with international law. 


Government strikes deal on the Aphrodite gas field exploitation proceeds

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Energy, Economy, Regional/International Relations

OVERVIEW

All papers report on the announcement on Wednesday by Energy Minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis that the government has struck a production-sharing deal for the Aphrodite gas reservoir worth over $9 billion over 18 years with the Noble-Shell-Delek energy consortium.

The minister said Cyprus got a good deal under the circumstances that is worth over $9bn or around $500 million (€443m) per year over 18 years, depending on the international price of oil. The revenues are based on an average price of oil of $70 per barrel.

He said the parties were now at the stage of discussing the development and production plan and after that, the cabinet will be presented with two documents and will issue an exploitation permit.

“Cyprus will become a natural gas producer and will also have a revised contract with very strict terms as regards the implementation of what has been agreed,” the minister said adding that specific milestones have been set that companies must respect or there would be serious consequences. Based on the plan, the first gas is expected between 2024 and 2025, he said.

According to the Cyprus Mail, the consortium’s investment would consist of an extraction platform at the site of the well, plus a pipeline running from the reservoir to Egypt’s shores. The minister said the effort is to extract, if not all, most of the reserve in the Aphrodite field so that its exploitation would be viable since the quantity needed by Cyprus is very small to justify the high cost of developing the reserve solely for the island’s needs.

Lakkotrypis did not rule out Cyprus asking for some of the gas from the field in the future.

The energy minister said this would be the biggest infrastructure project ever undertaken in the Republic of Cyprus, worth some $7.9bn, the daily reported.

Politis, citing sources, reports that the new contract and the revenue sharing terms, the recovering of expenses from companies and obligations of the two sides are in most parts identical to the contract signed by the government with the ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum consortium on block 10.  On some points, however, the contract with the Noble-Shell-Delek consortium has more favourable terms for the government compared to the other contracts since its interests have been safeguarded concerning the obligations of the companies for the implementation of the field development programme.

The daily also reports that the majority of parties welcomed the development. Citing sources, Politis reported that AKEL believes there has been misleading information as to the amounts announced on future revenue since the inflation estimates for the next 24 years were not included.

Phileleftheros reports that political parties eye positively the developments.

DIKO however, warned that the commercial agreements with Egypt must be signed the soonest possible given the escalating Turkish aggressiveness which, the party said, leave no room for experimentation and waste of time.

The Solidarity Movement said that the Republic of Cyprus ought to look into its participation in the consortium that will construct the pipeline, estimated at €1.1 bn – by utilising the resources of the Hydrocarbons Fund to the benefit both of GCs and TCs, Phileleftheros reports.

KEY ACTORS
DIKO
>>
Warns there is no time to waste on experimentations given the escalating Turkish aggressiveness so commercial agreements with Egypt must be signed the soonest possible.

Solidarity Movement
>>
Suggests that the RoC mulls over the possibility of participating in the consortium that will construct the pipeline to Egypt by utilising the resources of the Hydrocarbons Fund to the benefit both of GCs and TCs.


‘The US will hear what Nicosia wants and then decide how to get there’

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Phileleftheros
External Security, Regional/International Relations

OVERVIEW

President Nicos Anastasiades on Thursday will receive the US State Deputy Assistant Secretary Matthew Palmer who is on the island to discuss among other things the US arms embargo on Cyprus, the papers report.

Palmer’s arrival on the island was announced by the US State Department Director of the South European desk, Yuri Kim, who said on Tuesday during a panel discussion at the 35th Annual Conference of the International Coordinating Committee – Justice for Cyprus (PSEKA) in Washington that Palmer was on his way to Cyprus to discuss the arms embargo so that it is understood what Nicosia wants and then decide how to get there. Former US ambassadors to Greece and Cyprus, Daniel Smith and Kathleen Doherty, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee minority side chief advisor Damien Murphy were on the same discussion panel.

Kim said strengthening ties with Cyprus is to the benefit of the US, as is enhancing relations with Greece. Referring to Cyprus-US bilateral relations she said there have been many practical steps taken and there is intention for their continuation hence Palmer’s trip to Nicosia.

Regarding the US stance on the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), Kim said “we have a policy regarding peacekeeping operations” in general, one of them being that “there has to be an exit strategy” and a second being that “these peacekeeping operations have to be in support of the political process, not in place of the political process.”Phileleftheros reports that while commenting on the EastMed Act, Kim acknowledged that lifting the embargo on the sale of US arms in Cyprus is an issue that has acquired symbolic meaning and therefore involves an emotional load. However, it is important to make the next practical steps for the cooperation which have been determined after a comprehensive review of the Southeast Mediterranean region by US diplomacy, she said, according to Phileleftheros.

KEY ACTORS
Kim (US State Department)
>>
The US wants to hear what Nicosia wants as regards the US arms embargo and then decide how to get there.
>> Strengthening ties with Cyprus & Greece is to the benefit of the US.
>> The US stance on UNFICYP is the same as on all peacekeeping operations; there has to be an exit strategy and they have to be in support of the political process, not in place of the political process.


TC current affairs reported by GC press

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Property, Negotiations Process, Energy, Human Rights

OVERVIEW

The papers report on a number of issues covered by TC media.

All of them report on the statements by the chairman of the Immovable Property Commission (IPC) Ayfer Erkmen who told Diyalog that 6,545 applications filed by GC refugees are pending because of a lack of money. In order for these cases to be concluded, several billions of pounds sterling are needed, but somehow the generation of resources is not possible, he said, adding that Turkey will no longer send funds because the ‘assembly’ did not approve a ‘law’ for putting a ‘betterment tax’ on these properties.

The Cyprus Mail reports that new TC ‘prime minister’ Ersin Tatar said he would soon be taking new steps regarding the Cyprus problem and the economy.

According to the daily citing TC media, Tatar said that the Cyprus problem was one of the issues he had discussed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his visit in Istanbul earlier in the week and that the ‘government’ would take steps on the Cyprus problem, economy and other political issues.

Highlighting the divide between himself and TC leader Mustafa Akinci, he reiterated that a federal solution was no longer possible since the GC side understood it differently from the TC side. He argued that the situation now was different compared to four years ago when Akinci was elected.

“In their view, it is a structure in which the majority governs the minority […] and at the end of the day it is a unitary state. Turkey does not exist in this model. Neither do its guarantees nor its army. In this environment, we will be annihilated,” he said. He said that while in Istanbul, he discussed with Erdogan the north’s economic problems, the Cyprus problem and hydrocarbons in the Eastern Mediterranean. Tatar argued that the common goal with Turkey was for the north to become a “developed country” and for the hydrocarbon issues to “reach a result within the framework of justice”. Meanwhile, Turkey’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez said that they would start drilling at the beginning of July at a location in the Mediterranean Sea ‘licensed’ by the breakaway regime, the daily reported.

Alithia reports that the new ‘tourism minister’ Unal Ustel announced that the ‘government’ goal was to reach 2 million tourists and $2bn in proceeds from tourism. He also announced that consultations with Turkey would soon be launched on increasing flights to the north and decreasing fare taxes.

According to Haravgi there is an increasing tendency in the abandonment of babies in hospitals in the occupied areas by their mothers with society blaming only these women.

Citing Kibris, Haravgi reports that psychologist Ayla Kahraman argues that one must look at each case separately and find out what’s behind each story since these mothers were either raped or are drug users or even work in prostitution circles. Kahraman said that when these women get back on their feet, they are usually seeking to get their children back, Haravgi reports.

KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>>
A federal solution is no longer possible since the GC side, unlike the TCs, see it is a structure in which the majority governs the minority and as a unitary state, while Turkey, its guarantees & its army do not exist in this model.
>> Expressed concerns that the TCs would be annihilated within the solution model sought by the GCs.
>> The situation now is different compared to four years ago when Akinci was elected.
>> The common goal with Turkey is for the north to become a developed country and for the hydrocarbon issues to reach a result within the framework of justice.


New poetry book by young GC and TC poets launched

Alithia, Politis
Human Rights

OVERVIEW

The dailies report on a new anthology on young Cypriot poets from both sides of the divide.

According to Politis, some of these poets attended an event in Athens last Friday at the House of Cyprus where the anthology was presented by Vakhikon publishing house and recited some of their poems. The book ‘Anthology of Young Cypriot Poets’ was edited by Lefteris Papaleontiou.

Alithia cites Papaleontiou saying he included in the book the works of 21 poets born between 1980 and 1994, 17 GCs and four TCs.


Cyprob related articles win journalism awards

Politis
Human Rights, Property

OVERVIEW

Three articles concerning the issues of property, the missing persons and the only TC survivor from the execution of men from the Tohni village during 1974 were among those received awards on Wednesday at the annual competition for journalists organised by the Cyprus News Agency (CNA).

The first prize went to Politis’ journalist Katia Savva for her article on AIDS patients and Reporter’s Elina Stamatiou for her story on two unaccompanied refugee minors that arrived in Cyprus.

Sotiris Paroutis also received an award for his article published in Politis on his house in occupied Yialousa that was put up for sale. CNA journalist Rally Papageorgiou received an award for her interview with the sole survivor of the Tohni village executions in 1974 while her colleague Emilia Christofi got an award for a story on missing persons.


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