Front Page Headlines
‘Our sea view will be ruined’
Residents near the soon-to-be built Paralimni marina say the tall buildings will spoil the area.
- Efforts underway to ease tension after flag is removed from school
- Art Comes Home: Story of how hundreds of our artworks were returned after 45 years
- Comment: Threats to open Varosha borne of opportunism and greed
More than 400 suicides during the past decade
The alarmingly increasing tendency calls for a national strategy to deal with and prevent this phenomenon. Ninety-five per cent of suicides can be prevented, according to the World Health Organisation. Eighty-nine persons committed suicide during the economic crisis period between 2013-2014. The number of suicide attempts is 25 times bigger.
- Position: Mitsotakis’ fate (editorial on the Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus problem)
- The ‘black book’ on Famagusta and Karpasia – All of Turkey’s plans through maps and studies.
- Savvas Iacovides: Athens and Nicosia have only two choices (opinion piece)
- Christodoulos K. Yiallourides: The invisible risks of the refugee issue (opinion piece)
But what are children eating at school canteens?
There have been 162 inspections in 111 schools; sandwiches that are non-standard in ingredients and weight. More than two canteens in 10 (22%) have been found to sell items that were not on the (approved) catalogues. Twenty per cent of the canteens were selling products more expensively in violation of the (indicated) prices.
- The Turkish flag is being returned through the UN – The family has sent a letter to Mustafa Akinci. They express the wish for this incident not to spoil the good communication between GCs and TCs. Efforts to have the ‘arrest warrant’ which concerns theft and not the sacrilege of a symbol cancelled.
- Brexit: Will 13,000 Brits be trapped in the occupied areas?
- Russia chooses Turkey
Beginning with the solution model
Turkey: First enforcing faits accomplis at sea and on land and then negotiations. Kudret the ‘snitch’ and… flawless Mustafa.
- They want to turn Famagusta into Copacabana – Turkey’s master plan.
- (EU circles) “Practical solution” for EEZ, no to targeted measures
- The Famagusta Avenue Garage in dynamic orbit
- In Lysi without a… guide – 45 years later.
- Christos Christofides: Τhe dead end on the Cyprus problem suits Turkey
- Stefanos Constantinides: Generalised Turkish attack (opinion piece)
- Michalis Ignatiou: He’d better listen to Mitsotakis (opinion piece)
- Yiannakis Omirou: Remembering Yiannos Kranidiotis (opinion piece)
(Mevlut Cavusoglu:) We need to first make clear what type of solution we want
We can start with an informal five-party meeting and then continue discussing the Terms of Reference. Kathimerini interview with Mevlut Cavusoglu.
- Famagusta: The firework exploded in the president’s hands
- US: Double-edged sanctions on Turkey
- Fallen viziers against Erdogan – His omnipotence is under threat.
Convergences on natural gas are a weapon
Natural gas can be a catalyst for a solution of the Cyprus problem and that is why the UN and international community point out that the issues that arise regarding its management and revenues can be resolved with a solution. The importance of the convergences between the two sides on natural gas is also being stressed by the UN Secretary-General and are an answer to the new claims by Cavusoglu yesterday on CNN Turk that “an agreement on natural gas without Turkey will be pointless.”
- Erdogan’s dead ends are increasing
Lute’s mandate is being decided in New York
The meetings of the UNSG with the two leaders are of critical and defining importance. The letters of the special envoy, except for the serious steps of progress, show that there is still a way to go. Even issues that had to be considered by now resolved and agreed on, are being questioned due to unjustified phobias by both sides.
- The Lysi incident: The 16-year-old’s father apologised in a letter
- Message by (Greek Foreign Minister Nikos) Dendias to Ankara: End actions against the sovereignty of the RoC
Main News
‘Political equality, not security & guarantees led to Crans-Montana failure’
Kathimerini
Negotiations Process, Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
The daily published an interview with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.
The Turkish minister believes the most important issue that needs to be addressed on the Cyprus problem is political equality. He also said the GC side’s natural gas proposal is a stalling tactic while noting that he finds Cypriot FM Nikos Christodoulides a “nice guy”, even though he couldn’t remember his name.
Cavusoglu reiterated that since talks so far to find a solution based on a federation have failed, there is a need to seek alternative forms of a solution. He also said GC leader Nicos Anastasiades has in the past brought up a two-state solution, confederation, decentralised federation and a loose federation.
He said Turkey will not force any type of solution and is willing to discuss all options.
The minister said that first, “we must define what we’ll be negotiating on; second, create the framework, meaning the document on the Terms of Reference for the talks; finally, go to results-oriented negotiations.”
He said that first, an informal five-party conference should take place to agree on what will be negotiated on and then the ToR would be completed.
He also said that this time it is very important that there is an agreement on political equality since Anastasiades went back on convergences agreed on the matter during the talks in Crans-Montana. This, he said, was the most important point that led to the failure of that procedure.
While there was progress on the issue of security and guarantees, on political equality, Anastasiades went back on the relevant convergences. “He first said yes to rotating presidency and he then turned it down. Today, Anastasiades says he does not accept political equality,” Cavusoglu said.
On the issue of guarantees, he said that Turkey cannot remain passive to the wish of the TCs for the continuation of this system. “Believing that security and guarantees is the only problem and declaring ‘zero security, zero guarantees’ is not a realistic position,” he said.
He added that this is an issue that does not concern the GC side and Greece only.
On the issue of hydrocarbons, he said, that if the Turkish guarantees were not in place, the GC side would have never given the TCs their rights.
“Today, we receive vague proposals that are not serious,” he said, adding that there is more need for guarantees today than ever.
Cavusoglu said, according to the daily, that no aspect of Anastasiades’ proposal on natural gas can be accepted because he sets some terms “and then he says, ‘I could maybe give you a share’”.
On the other hand the proposal of the TC side “is logical, positive, creative and creates a framework on sharing.”
He said Anastasiades rejected the TC proposal because he seeks recognition by Turkey. This is not going to happen because he is addressing Turkey and overlooks the TC side, and because he wants Turkey to end her operations (in the Cypriot sea area) while declaring he might give a share of the gas in the future.
“Τhis is a stalling technique,” he said. He added that the TC proposal is still on the table and is backed by members of the international community.
Responding to rumours on disagreements with Akinci, Cavusoglu said Turkey is in close cooperation with the TC leader, the ‘government’ and all political parties.
When there are different approaches on some issues, Turkish officials visit the island for consultations or TCs visit Ankara, he said.
Regarding a statement made by Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides on the Akinci-Ankara relationship, Cavusoglu first asked what the Cypriot FM’s name was before saying: “Nikos should not exceed limits. Although I like him, he is a good kid.”
In any case, he said, there is no issue of facilitating or hindering what Akinci is doing because Turkey is a guarantor power and is taking into consideration the demands of the TCs. What’s important is not the policies of an individual but the common denominator of one side.
The full interview in English can be read here: https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/cavusoglu-speaks-to-kathimerini.
KEY ACTORS
Cavusoglu
>> Need to discuss other forms of a solution since talks on a federation have failed.
>> Other forms of a solution have been mentioned by Anastasiades numerous times.
>> Turkey will not force any type of solution & is willing to discuss all options but first there must be agreement on what sides will be negotiating on, then set the ToR & go to results-oriented talks.
>> The main reason the talks in Crans-Montana failed is the GCs’ backtracking on political equality. This issue must be ensured before anything else.
>> Turkey will not ignore the call by TCs on the continuation of guarantees.
>> The GC side’s position of ‘zero security, zero guarantees’ and that this is the only stumbling block in the Cyprob is an unrealistic one.
>> There is more need for guarantees today than ever. Were they not in place, the GCs would never give TCs their natural gas rights.
>> Anastasiades’ natural gas proposal is vague, not serious & a mere stalling technique whereas the TC proposal is logical, positive, creative and creates a framework on sharing.
>> Anastasiades seeks recognition by Turkey which is not going to happen & overlooks the TC side because he wants direct consultations with Turkey.
>> Turkey, as a guarantor power, is taking into consideration not the positions of an individual but what the entire TC side wants.
>> Likes Christodoulides but warns him not to overstep the limits.
EU cool on measures against Turkey fearing migrant issue
Phileleftheros
EU Matters, Energy, Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Phileleftheros’ correspondent to Brussels, Pavlos Xanthoulis , reports in his analysis piece that some circles within the EU are promoting a “practical solution” to the issue of the Cypriot exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and not targeted sanctions against Turkey.
Citing sources, the daily reports that important EU circles make clear they do not favour strengthening measures taken against Turkey last July over her actions in Cyprus’ EEZ.
The same sources said that the new narrative by these circles on a “practical solution” to the issue is problematic since it allows Ankara to carry on with her demands on sharing the natural gas reserves regardless of a solution to the Cyprus problem.
EU circles argue that further measures will not improve the situation as regards Cyprus’ EEZ given that Turkey feels isolated in the region and must somehow participate in the regional consultations. The same circles are now suggesting unfreezing the political dialogue between EU and Turkey at the beginning of 2020, a move which is linked with their wish for a political dialogue with Turkey on energy issues sometime in February or March next year.
They are also trying to sugarcoat the pill for Nicosia, arguing that as part of this high-level dialogue, the issues concerning the Eastern Mediterranean could also be discussed, the paper said.
Sources told Phileleftheros that this “practical solution” is also accompanied by a general attempt to restore the Brussels-Ankara relations which is the wish of the new leadership of the EU Commission.
In other words, one of the priorities of the new Commission under Ursula Von der Leyen and the new High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, will be restoring relations with Ankara, the paper said. This move seems to be linked with Berlin’s fears of increased migrant flows, something von der Leyen knows well since she was until recently Germany’s defence minister.
It is understood that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s moves on the issue of refugees/ immigration have de facto defined and delineated the agenda of any substantive discussions that may be held within the EU in the coming period, the daily said.