Front Page Headlines
DISY prepares for showdown
Ruling party to hammer out how they dropped nine points in Euro elections.
- Money tap back on: Ankara opens its doors to the new TC ruling coalition
Scenarios for a second ‘Estia’ scheme
A second ‘Estia’ scheme, based on the Irish model, is under consideration. The finance ministry has requested additional information from banks.
- Energy scene: What are the four messages of the US to Nicosia
- Scenarios on the map by the US on the (Cypriot) EEZ – A revealing map.
- People smuggling: The exploitation of children in Turkey and the occupied areas
- (DISY leader) Averof (Neophytou) under questioning – Tomorrow the extended political office convenes.
- Position: The fourth Attila, that of ‘sharing’ (the spoils) (opinion piece on US-Turkey relations and their geostrategic interests)
- Savvas Iacovides: Why Nicos Anastasiades is following the policy of Christofias on Britain (opinion piece)
General rehearsal on the Archbishop elections
Developments after the Bishop of Kition’s decision to resign. The election for the new Bishop of Kition will measure forces between the two Synod camps as regards the election of a new Archbishop; the alliance of (Archbishop) Chrysostomos – Paphos Bishop Georgios against a part of the Holy Synod. The Kykkos team in cooperation with the team of Limassol’s Athanasios seems to be the strongest.
- Cyprob: The Fatih is drilling, the Metro is also on its way – Where do the new faits accomplis by Turkey on the Cypriot EEZ lead and … a forgotten map.
- Politics: What DISY must change? – Averof Neophytou, our party leader president and those reacting without any reason and by playing it safe.
- Chronicle: The British Council in Cyprus (1935-1955). (Free supplement with Sunday’s Politis)
Addresses and names
Arrest warrants have been issued against everyone working on the ‘Conqueror’ (Turkey’s Fatih drillship) and companies’ executives. Nicosia’s moves upset the staff of the drillship.
- The EU is preparing to respond to Ankara – A battle (for Turkey) to suffer the cost.
- Andros Kyprianou: “Priority is for Nicos Anastasiades to leave” (in the next presidential elections)
- The ‘Commission’ of immovable property in the occupied areas is headed for dissolution – Without any money for compensations.
- Solution with a review of the 1960 Constitution (opinion piece)
- Yesterday a ruin… today an emblem (Ibrahim’s khan in Paphos)
- Charalambos Ellinas: What are Turkey’s plans in the EEZ (opinion piece)
- Michalis Ignatiou: Turkey and the problem of the US (opinion piece)
- Olympios Toumazou: The Euro-elections have left a bittersweet taste (opinion piece)
Andros toward a slow exit while Averof is still looking around
Succession at AKEL in June 2020, the DISY leader before the political office tomorrow.
- ‘Aphrodite’ (gas field): Seventeen years for production
- Three new recruits in Brussels – (DISY MEP Loucas) Fourlas, (AKEL MEPs Niyazi) Kizilyurek, (Giorgos) Georgiou in their first euro-steps.
- Turkey: Erdogan is stepping on quicksand
- ‘Aphrodite’s’ development by Charalambos Ellinas (opinion piece)
The $19.5 bn (revenue) from Aphrodite (gas field) is unrealistic
With an analysis based on the actual numbers in which the market operates, international expert Dr Charalambos Ellinas points out that profits to the tune of $19.5 billion within 18 years from the development of ‘Aphrodite’ is unrealistic. He estimates that they will range on average around $100m a year. He notes that the government has made concessions on the agreement on revenue redistribution without getting anything substantive in return such as, for example, a natural gas pipeline to the EAC.
- Have you ever been a voice in the silence? (article on the bicommunal theatre play by deaf GC and TC youth)
The parties are… hiding
They avoid taking a clear stance on the Administrative Court decision on (back pay) returns to the civil servants. They don’t seem to be willing to take any action at political level on an issue that might turn into a time bomb for our public finances. Only Finance Minister Harris Georgiades clearly suggests a Constitution amendment to introduce anew the same measures.
- (US Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs) Matthew Palmer: We made clear to Turkey that it is provoking
- We prepare the ground for measures against Turkey – Ahead of the EU summit.
- Analysis: Waiting for our allies’ sanctions (against Turkey)
- Article-Intervention: Open letter to (foreign ministry permanent secretary) Ambassador Tasos Tzionis
- American ultimatum to Turkey by July 31 on the S-400
- Glafcos Clerides archives: A journey to our modern political history
- Erdogan: Best man at the wedding of Arsenal footballer Mesut Ozil
Main News
Government knew nothing of US energy map on Cyprus and region
Phileleftheros, Politis
Energy, Regional/International Relations, EU Matters, Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The papers report that the government has issued arrest warrants against the staff of the Fatih drillship which is either drilling or about to drill soon within the Cypriot EEZ. The government also says it had no idea of the existence of a US map that has been recently made public on energy plans in the region concerning also Cyprus.
According to Phileleftheros, the government has issued around 25 arrest warrants against staff working at the Fatih drillship including executives of private companies that cooperate with the Turkish state petroleum company TPAO, after obtaining their names and addresses. Fatih is currently 36,5 nautical miles off Cyprus , the daily reports.
The daily reports that this action has already caused upset to the drillship staff that comes from various countries including Turkey and the UK since some of them chose to depart even before the arrest warrants were issued.
Citing sources, Phileleftheros reports that Turkey is cooperating at this stage with two American and one Croat company, while some other companies that used to cooperate with TPAO withdrew fearing consequences.
The daily, also citing sources, reports that the second Turkish drillship, the Yavuz, is expected to be sent to the bay of occupied Karpasia around July. Sending the Yavuz to blocks that have not been licensed, is a move with which Turkey obviously sends out a message to countries whose companies operate within the Cypriot EEZ. The message is that it will not bother companies so that they do not bother Turkey in her own investigations, Phileleftheros said.
Politis, citing sources, reports that Turkey’s Fatih drillship has either started drilling off Paphos or is about to very soon. Citing statements and media reports from Turkey, the daily said there is talk of intense mobility on the arrival to Cyprus in July of a second drill ship, the Yavuz, which is the former ‘DeepSea Metro I’.
An arrest warrant was issued against a Croat involved in Global Offshore Engineering, a company offering support services to the Fatih since 2018, the paper reported.
Citing sources, Politis also reports that despite the government’s systematic effort to create a cost for Turkey by going after private companies, the Turkish state petroleum company TPAO is the main actor as regards the Fatih’s ability to carry on research. Ankara knows that well and this enabled them to carry on with their actions and create a de facto situation. The daily, citing experts, said that a drilling within the Cypriot EEZ by Turkey, the arrival of a second drill ship and possible Turkish actions could create conditions for a hot summer.
But while diplomatic efforts by the government for Turkey to bear the brunt of its own actions and issuing international arrest warrants, information from Brussels say that there will be strong reaction by the upcoming European Council but without any substantive result as to the removal of the Turkish drillship, the paper reported.
Politis also reports that the timing for the publication by the McClatchy website of a revealing map of the US Bureau of Energy Resources on gas reserves around Cyprus and the possible ways of exploiting them is very interesting. The map and article may be found here.
The map depicts the US’ consistent approach to energy as a catalyst to solve the problems of the region, a policy expressed during the Obama administration, the daily reports, adding that the map depicts plans for the 2015-2017 period which coincided with the peak of the Cyprus problem process that resulted in the shipwreck at Crans Montana. It shows Cyprus’ block 12 as a hub for the export of Cypriot and Israeli natural gas (from Leviathan) to Turkey through a north-channel pipeline – a scenario which Politis had reported several times in the past.
A more careful second reading of the map, but also the report, shows that the timing of its publication is particularly semiotic – given the absence of all procedures on the Cyprus issue and the Fatih’s presence in Cyprus – while the then Obama’s Energy diplomat Amos Hochstein himself comments on the article that Obama-Biden’s policy on the natural resources of the Mediterranean Sea in relation to Europe’s energy dependence on Russia has not changed substantially in the Trump era, Politis said.
He also said that the map was given to both Erdogan and Anastasiades during the 2015-2017 period of the talks. The president, however, in his briefing to reporters after the leak of the map, stressed that he had no knowledge of, nor ever talked to the Americans about this northern pipeline. However, during the period 2014-2016, the same president stated on several occasions that there would be no problem for Cyprus to sell gas to Turkey after the solution, while there is safe knowledge that Turkish officials and oil businessmen from Turkey visited Cyprus where they had contacts, both with the president and with the ministry of foreign affairs, the daily reported. The sea areas claimed by Turkey (comprising parts of blocks 4, 5,6 and 7 of the Cyprus EEZ,) are also on the map, areas, which two years after Crans Montana, coincide with the limits on which the Fatih is moving and is ready to drill, Politis reports.
On the same matter, Phileleftheros, citing sources, reported that energy had been discussed during the 2014 visit by the then US Vice President Joe Biden in Cyprus but that no map was presented to the government or at a later stage. Reporting on ‘peculiar routes’ the daily reports that today, the scenarios on the map seem distant ones but this could change if the situation changes mainly as to the US-Turkish relations.
Nicosia continues efforts for EU measures against Turkey
Alithia, Phileleftheros
EU Matters, Energy, Regional/International Affairs
OVERVIEW
Phileleftheros, revealing the draft of the conclusions of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, reports that Nicosia went up another step on the ladder toward seeking measures against Turkey ahead of the European Council meeting on June 20-21.
The 28 EU foreign ministers declare in their summit’s draft conclusions that the EU stands ready to respond appropriately and in complete solidarity with Cyprus on the question of Turkish illegal activities in the EEZ, the daily reported.
The EU calls on Ankara to smooth out its relations with the Republic of Cyprus and to respect the sovereignty of the member states over their territorial waters and their airspace as well as their sovereign rights to explore and exploit their natural resources , in accordance with EU law and international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
It also states that the EU remains fully committed to a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem and reiterates that it remains crucial that Turkey pledges and contributes to the settlement including its external aspects (security issue) within the framework of the UN, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the UN and in accordance with the EU principles.
The foreign ministers’ conclusions are the annual evaluation of the 28 member states for all candidate countries, including Turkey, on the basis of the recent Commission report, but action is taken only by the European Council, the daily said.
Citing sources, Phileleftheros reports the draft of the conclusions might not be approved due to serious reservations expressed by Germany and France, not due to Turkey but Albania and North Macedonia. But even if it is not approved, this does not hinder Nicosia’s plans since there is still the European Council Summit on June 20-21 where the EU position to respond appropriately in full solidarity with Cyprus has already been formulated by EU High Representative, Federica Mogherini and has been reproduced in the Commission’s progress report.
The paper, citing sources, reports that British diplomats, following briefings by the Turkish foreign ministry on the situation in the Cypriot EEZ, state in meetings that as far as they understand, Ankara will not back down and give the impression they understand the Turkish positions.
Alithia reports that Anastasiades will have the opportunity to discuss the issue of Turkish provocations on June 14 in Malta on the sidelines of the deliberations of the MED7 Summit, along with the other six heads of state or government of the southern member countries of the EU.