GCC Press Review 12 Oct 2019

Front Page Headlines

Politis

The EU’s intentions are still unclear

The international outrage on Syria is creating a sanctions atmosphere for Turkey. Strong condemnation of Turkish illegal actions by Tusk. The trilateral meeting with Guterres will take place in the second half of November.

  • France is sending a frigate in the (Cypriot) EEZ
  • ENI: Descalzi patched things up
  • Erdogan blackmails, threatens, kills – The occupation in Syria continues without any reactions. The Turks have bombed American troops by accident.

Phileleftheros

(Turkey) is spreading hell again

Turkey advances and murders. UN says, 100,000 refugees. The Kurds resist by fighting back.

  • (Nicosia) expects something stronger from the (EU) partners – High-level meeting on Thursday.
  • They changed the date for the trilateral, they are looking for the place
  • Defensive armament has hit rock bottom, but the defence ministry is not concerned – They are asking for €43m, they expect to receive €50m.
  • Drillings: ENI is not changing course
  • The 15-year-old refugee was crowned world chamption (in Muay Thai) in Turkey – Who is Kyriacos Christodoulou.

Haravgi

Influence zones in war-torn Syria

Turkey’s invasion in Syria against the Kurds opens a new front in the war that counts hundreds of thousands of dead and millions of refugees. According to the UN, around 100,000 have abandoned their homes and temporarily stay in shelters and schools. Efforts by foreign powers to secure influence zones in the war-torn country.

  • Obstacles to the Total-ENI drillings
  • Event (organised on Saturday morning on Ledra street) to condemn the Turkish invasion (of Syria)
  • Inauguration of the office of Niyazi Kizilyurek (in the north) with messages to GCs and TCs

Cyprus Mail

Tusk: we’re on your side

Head of the EU Council calls on Turkey to end its illegal drilling off Cyprus.

  • No change in ENI’s drilling plans, (energy) minister says
  • Turkish military intensifies attack on Syria

Alithia

Erdogan, proceed with Syria invasion

The two super powers are backing Turkey. US and Russia did not agree to adopt the Security Council’s announcement that would express “deep concern” and would call on Ankara to “desist” the Syria operation.

  • After the uproar, reassurances – No problem with ENI. Explanations by its CEO Claudio Descalzi. (Energy Minster Giorgos) Lakkotrypis: The company has reassured us of its commitment to Cyprus and the research programme.
  • Syria and Cyprob the focus of the Foreign Affairs Council on Monday
  • The issue of direct trade is being clarified on Wednesday in Brussels
  • President to Tusk: There should be a reaction against Turkey

Main News

Lakkotrypis: ENI’s energy programme continues as is

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Energy, EU Matters, Regional/International Relations, Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

The government on Friday rushed to get reassurances by energy giant ENI after its CEO Claudio Descalzi expressed reservations on Thursday over drilling off Cyprus in the presence of Turkish warships, with the papers reporting that ENI’s schedule continues as is.

In the meantime, Nicosia expects more substantive support from its EU partners this time as EU Council President Donald Tusk expressed solidarity with Cyprus during his visit to the island.

The papers report that Energy Minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis said on Friday ENI has given reassurances as regards its commitment to Cyprus and its natural gas drilling programme.

The minister said he spoke to ENI officials and asked for clarifications about Descalzi’s comment. He said it seems Descalzi was replying to a question whether he was concerned about Turkey’s escalating provocations in the Eastern Mediterranean region and he replied that he was not concerned but he went on to say that they don’t want any incident to be caused.

Citing a company spokesman, Lakkotrypis said Descalzi’s comment concerned the safety of the company’s personnel.

He added that ENI’s commitment towards Cyprus was a given and this was reflected by the fact that preparations relating to its exploration programme continued.

“At this point, we know the planning, the window when the drilling will start, we know the targets that were selected, but we choose not to make any reference,” he said.

Descalzi told Reuters later on Friday, ENI was committed to the exploration of Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and its contractual engagements with the country, and that they were planning a joint exploration campaign in the first half of 2020 together with their French partner Total.

Meanwhile, Tusk, who was on the island on a visit, called on Turkey on Friday to end its illegal drilling activities off Cyprus because it undermined efforts to resume reunification talks and good neighbourly relations between the EU and Turkey.

Tusk expressed the Council’s “full solidarity” with Cyprus in the face of Turkey’s continued drilling activities in the waters off the coast of Cyprus. The European Council has strongly condemned these illegal actions, he said.

“I reconfirm that the EU stands united behind you. I call on Turkey to end these activities as they do not only undermine the recent efforts to resume Cyprus settlement talks, but they also undermine good neighbourly relations between the EU as a whole and Turkey,” Tusk said.

President Nicos Anastasiades told Tusk that the EU could not remain idle in light of the developments and that there was need for a more concrete response to Turkey’s continued illegal operations. “Turkey needs to cease these provocations and stand aside from further escalation that might cause destabilisation in an already turbulent region,” he said.

He added that the EU has the tools to exert maximum pressure thus safeguarding its credibility at a period when well-established principles of international law are at stake.

As regards the talks, he said Turkey’s unlawful activities were taking place at an extremely critical juncture for the Cyprus issue, at a time when plans are underway for a tripartite meeting between himself, the leader of the TC community and the UN Secretary-General.

“Turkey’s actions clearly undermine our sincere efforts to engage in meaningful negotiations,” he said.

The government also announced that German Chancellor Angela Merkel has also expressed her concern over Turkish activities in Cyprus’ EEZ and the need for international law to prevail, during a telephone conversation she had on Thursday evening with Anastasiades. On Friday night Anastasiades said he spoke on the phone with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson who expressed his complete support for Cyprus and his utmost disapproval of Turkish actions.

Cyprus Mail reported that Cyprus and Greece urged economic sanctions against Turkey over Turkish gas drilling south of the island.

According to Phileleftheros, Nicosia expects from her EU partners a step further than just pledges of solidarity during the upcoming European Council this week. Citing sources, the daily reported that a series of measures will be submitted at the high-level meeting but which will not be enforced by the EU. It will be up to each state to adopt them.

Politis reports that following the uproar over his statements, Descalzi patched things up by declaring his company remains committed to their drilling programme in Cyprus. According to the daily, Greek Defence Minister Nikos Panayiotopoulos said on Friday evening to Greece’s Skai TV that France is sending another frigate in Cyprus while not ruling out Italy doing the same.

Alithia also reports that after the uproar, reassurances were given.

According to Haravgi, the government was disturbed by Descalzi’s statements and called representatives of the company in Cyprus for explanations.

Politis also reports that Tusk’s visit and his discourse shows in the most realistic way that Cyprus has a major opportunity to achieve more targeted measures against Turkey for her illegal activities during the upcoming European Council taking place between October 17 and 18.

Citing EU sources, the daily however reported that there are concerns on whether the EU partners will be very harsh on Turkey as regards Cyprus or if they will mostly focus on Turkey’s invasion of northern Syria.

KEY ACTORS
Lakkotrypis
>>
ENI’s drilling programme in Cyprus continues as is, Descalzi was merely expressing concerns over the safety of the staff should any incident with Turkey be caused.

Descalzi (ENI)
>>
ENI remains committed to its contractual engagements with Cyprus.

Tusk (EU)
>>
Calls on Turkey to end her illegal actions off Cyprus’ coast since they undermine efforts for the resumption of talks & good neighbourly relations with EU.
>> The EU Council is in full solidarity with Cyprus & strongly condemned Turkey’s illegal actions.
>> The EU stands united behind Cyprus.

Anastasiades
>>
Wants a more concrete response by the EU to Turkey’s continued illegal operations since the bloc has the means to exert maximum pressure & safeguarding its credibility.
>> Turkey must stop these provocations & refrain from further escalation that might cause destabilisation in an already turbulent region.
>> Turkey’s unlawful activities undermine the GCs’ sincere efforts to engage in meaningful negotiations.

Merkel (Germany)
>>
Expressed concerns over Turkish activities in Cyprus’ EEZ & the need for international law to prevail.

Johnson (UK)
>>
Expressed complete support for Cyprus & his utmost disapproval of Turkish actions.


UN prepares report on Good Offices mission

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process, Regional/International Relations, Territory

OVERVIEW

According to the papers the UNSG’s Special Representative in Cyprus, Elizabeth Spehar, will convey by the end of October a preliminary draft report on the UN chief’s Good Offices Mission in Cyprus, while a tripartite meeting between the leaders of the two communities and the UN will take place next month.

Citing the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), the dailies report that a source said Spehar’s report will be finalised by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and his envoy Jane Holl Lute.

Reporting that the UN Security Council asked Guterres in July, through its resolution on the renewal of the six-monthly UNFICYP mandate, to submit a report on his Good Offices by November 15, the papers said Spehar’s office is currently working to prepare the preliminary draft report which will be conveyed to the UN.

Asked if Spehar would hold meetings with the two leaders as part of the preparations, the source said this had not been decided yet “because this time it is the Secretary-General who has been at the forefront, leading the efforts”. The same source said that the report will include references on confidence-building measures, the papers report.

Also citing TC leader’s spokesman Baris Burcu, the dailies reported that a tripartite meeting between the leaders of the two communities and the UN will take place next month. Burcu tweeted on Friday that the meeting will be held in a European city in the second half of November and that Mustafa Akinci is ready to take part with a constructive attitude, the papers report.

Phileleftheros reports that Burcu’s announcement comes just 24 hours after Anastasiades’ statements that he was ready for such a meeting, while dropping hints on the TC side’s stance.

Citing sources, Phileleftheros also reported that the Turkish side does not favour the possibility of the trilateral taking place in Paris since both Turkey and the TC leadership believe that France is very friendly with the GCs. Besides, Turkey does not favour a trilateral being held in an EU member state arguing they would not be neutral since Cyprus is a member of the block, the daily reported.

The papers also reported that the House plenum on Friday passed resolutions condemning Turkey’s actions in Varosha and in Kurdish-led territories in northern Syria.

Parliament unanimously passed a resolution condemning recent activity by Turkey in the fenced-off town, which it said threatened a change to the status quo, and called on the international community, particularly the UN, to step up pressure on Ankara. The House stressed that further sanctions should be imposed on Turkey by the EU in the event that it moves forward with plans to reopen Varosha under TC administration.

The plenum further censured Turkey for its offensive against Kurdish forces in Syria on Thursday and called on Turkey to immediately withdraw its forces from all Syrian territory. The House stressed that the recent Turkish invasion in Syria was yet another illicit act that violated the UN Charter and international law, in view of what it called Turkey’s firm policy of expansionism against neighbouring countries which poses a permanent threat to peace in the wider region of the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

KEY ACTORS
House plenum
>>
Condemns Turkey’s recent activities in Varosha which threaten a change to the status quo & call on the international community, particularly the UN, to step up pressure on Ankara.
>> Calls for further sanctions on Turkey by the EU in case she moves forward with plans to reopen Varosha under TC administration.
>> Condemns Turkey’s offensive against Kurdish forces in Syria & called for immediate withdraw of her forces from all Syrian territory.
>> The Turkish invasion in Syria is yet another illicit act that violates the UN Charter and international law, in view of Turkey’s firm policy of expansionism against neighbouring countries. This poses a permanent threat to peace in the wider region of the Mediterranean and the Middle East.


Developments on direct trade expected this week

Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
EU Matters, Economy

OVERVIEW

Phileleftheros and Alithia report that it is expected that next Wednesday the issue of direct trade with the occupied areas will be clarified at the meeting of the European Parliament’s political groups.

Citing DISY MEP Loucas Fourlas, Alithia reports that TC ‘MPs’  are in Brussels for contacts with a number of Europeans politicians in a bid to garner support in favour of direct trade. He also said that DISY leader Averof Neophytou also met in Brussels with the heads of 37 missions and political groups promoting the Republic’s position against direct trade, Alithia reported.

Haravgi reports that AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou was also in Brussels for contacts and that his meetings with European officials but also with MEPs and chairpersons of the European Parliament were constructive and effective.

Kyprianou briefed his interlocutors on the Turkish provocations and on the latest developments in the Cyprus issue and about the obstacles being put forward and requested practical support and solidarity with efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem, the daily reported. The European United Left–Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL), of which AKEL’s two MEPs are members, has denounced Turkey’s actions against Cyprus.


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