Front Page Headlines
Seasonal air fares spiral
Students and their parents left with few options other than stumping up at Christmas.
- French frigate in Cyprus’ EEZ, naval exercise underway, government says
- Turkish backed rebels seize Syrian border town
Undisturbed, (Erdogan) slaughters in Syria, invades the (Cypriot) EEZ, carves up the Aegean
Battle in Brussels for sanctions against Turkey. The Turkish invasion in Syria and its consequences on the Cyprob and energy. How Nicosia should and ought to make use of Turkey’s new international illegality. Intense backstage at the EU over sanctions for the provocations in the Cypriot EEZ. The role of the US, Russia and the EU in the developments and the day after in the Middle East. Erdogan’s shady agreements on the ‘Peace Spring’ operation. Once more, the logic of raw power trumps international law.
- Position: “What are we? We are chickens…” (Editorial on Greece’s inaction to Turkey’s provocations in Cyprus)
- We dance to whatever tune the Turks play – Trilateral wherever Akinci wants, five-party meeting without the EU as per Ankara’s demands and talks in May.
- Israel, Cyprus, Greece (electricity) connection – The underwater electric cable on the cards.
- Nicos Katsourides: The pirate ship is advancing (opinion piece)
- Titos Christodoulou: Turkish naval strolls with historic lessons (opinion piece)
The Europeans will look into the Syria issue before the Cyprob
More conducive climate for Cyprus but the invasion in Syria changes the situation. “The decisions that will be made must be specific and send a message, both to deter actions in relation to Cyprus, as well as Turkey’s actions in Syria,” Prodromos Prodromou told Politis. Tusk’s statements from Nicosia contain the promise that the time has come to exert pressure since he reiterated that the EU is in full solidarity with Cyprus. Interconnection effort: The coming week will be decisive in the direction of decision-making. On October 14, the Foreign Affairs Council is taking place which will reveal in what ways and what measures the EU can take while the European Council will follow. The question arising from the reluctance of the EU member states to move forward in full confrontation with Turkey on the questioning of the Cypriot EEZ, in combination with the strong statements on the invasion of Syria, is whether the EU is ready to open two fronts against Turkey. “European leaders have to assess the situation and make decisions that protect Europe,” the government spokesman told Politis.
Patent for the whole region
Turkey is imposes faits accomplis by force, applying plans. Waging a war in Syria, while advancing unobstructed in the Eastern Mediterranean. Letter on Famagusta (to the EU by the TCs).
- Mogherini’s commitments a legacy for her successor – We reveal (Mogherini’s) letter on Famagusta.
- Stelios Haji-Ioannou: I was surprised by the percentage of those who want or not a solution
- ‘Massage’ by (EU) partners on Yavuz
- Mihal Tanhum (Israeli professor): Turkey cannot be left out of the (energy) equation
- What is the problem with Kosovo
- Achilleas Demetriades: Turkey’s plans can be averted
- File: The agreement with the Archbishop (on priests’ salaries) is voted into law
- Stefanos Constantinides: American irresponsibility (opinion piece)
- Michalis Ignatiou: Tayyip opened the gates of hell (opinion piece)
US and Russia participate in the spoils and give Turkey a role
Joint Athens-Nicosia strategy on Ankara’s illegal actions in the EEZ.
- Main article: Relentless times (opinion piece on the Cyprob and the geopolitics around the Syria invasion)
- Energy: ENI’s concerns and the patch-ups
- Cyprob process: Without a trilateral, Lute will go to retirement
- (Greek FM) Nikos Dendias: We are looking at Turkey as equals
- (UK Minister for Europe) Christopher Pincher: Condemnation of Turkey for drilling in block 7
- Erato Markoulli: Unsatisfactory stance by France-Italy
- (NATO Secretary-General) Jens Stoltenberg: In NATO they knew about the invasion (of Syria)
Only way out is through the Guterres Framework
It is not difficult for the agreement on the Terms of Reference to progress if there is political will, Toumazos Tsielepis assesses. The head of AKEL Central Committee’s Cyprob office points out during an interview to our newspaper that the UN Secretary-General will consent to substantive negotiation only if there is a guarantee it will be a meaningful process. He notes that the two leaders must stop setting terms and conditions and accept in practice the Guterres Framework with all its preconditions.
- It is the peoples that always pay the price (event against the Turkish invasion of Syria)
- (Takis Hadjigeorgiou) A UN seat in Cyprus would reinforce the talks
- Erdogan up against himself
French frigates in block 7
Large French-Cypriot naval exercise underway off Cyprus since yesterday. French defence minister: “We wish to allow Cyprus, an EU member state, to be able to ensure her responsibilities within the waters that fall within her sovereignty.” At diplomatic level, attention is on next Thursday’s European Council.
- Zenonas Tziarras: Cyprus too will pay a price for Syria invasion (opinion piece)
- Analysis: Russia is playing in Syria the same game it played in Cyprus in 1974
Main News
French frigate in block 7 for naval exercise
Alithia, Haravgi, Kathimerini, Phileleftheros, Sunday Mail
External Security, Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
According to the dailies, the government confirmed statements by Greek Defence Minister Nikos Panayiotopoulos that a French frigate was in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) on Saturday as part of a naval exercise.
The dailies, citing the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), reported that a government source confirmed on Saturday the presence of the frigate in Cyprus’ EEZ, underlining at the same time that Nicosia’s aim was not militarisation of the issue. The same source said that Nicosia was coordinating closely with EU member states, such as France and Italy.
Alithia reports that Nicosia, albeit unofficially, confirmed yesterday that a French frigate is located in the Cyprus EEZ region and more specifically in block 7, in which the Turkish drillship Yavuz is also located since last week.
According to the Sunday Mail, Panayiotopoulos said in an interview with the Greek TV channel Skai on Friday night, that his French counterpart Florence Parly informed him that Paris had already sent a frigate. They discussed the possibility of Italy also sending one. “French and Italian companies have been granted licence for exploratory drillings in block 7”, said Panayiotopoulos, while adding that Europe must protect its “red lines”, which are being violated by Turkey. “I am not suggesting that we should go to war […]. I am just saying that Europe must show somehow that it cannot tolerate this behaviour, that there are certain red lines. The frigates, sent by France and Italy to block 7, is a first step. We must wait and see what kind of deterrence this move will have,” he said.
According to the dailies, the French defence minister tweeted on Saturday that French-Cypriot naval exercises were being held in Cypriot waters within the framework of the “excellent cooperation” between the two countries. “We wish to allow Cyprus, an EU member state, to be able to ensure its responsibilities in its sovereign waters,” Parly said.
Cypriot Defence Minister Savvas Angelides told CNA that “the naval drill is important, in the framework of Cypriot-French cooperation, while it is also sending a message in relation to exercising the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus in its EEZ.” He added: “At the same time, we remain committed to our efforts to terminate Turkish illegal activities through political, diplomatic and legal means.”
Haravgi reports that AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou cautioned over creating false impressions that the frigate in question was there to participate in warfare.
“It is not arriving in order to participate in warfare. I believe it would be a mistake to cultivate false impressions among the public and which turn attention in the wrong direction,” Kyprianou said according to Haravgi.
He added that any problems within the EEZ must not be dealt with through confrontation and escalation of tensions but by relaunching substantive talks.
He also said that the EU’s reaction to the latest Turkish provocation was a “lukewarm” one, the daily reported.
According to Kathimerini the message sent by the launch of Turkish operations in northern Syria shortly after the green light was received by Donald Trump, discourages all those who thought the American factor was capable of preventing warfare or a hot episode in the region.
In another article/analysis, the daily reports that for Nicosia, a decisive factor on developments in its EEZ is French Total and not Italian ENI since it believes that the French presence can make a difference in the upcoming energy activities. This does not seem to be irrelevant to the reference by Panayiotopoulos, after a meeting with his French counterpart Florence Parly on French and Italian warships in the area that will record this Turkish provocation, Kathimerini reported.
KEY ACTORS
Panayiotopoulos (Greek Defence Minister)
>> Europe must protect its red lines which are being violated by Turkey, not by going to war but by showing such behaviour cannot be tolerated and that there are certain red lines.
Parly (French Defence Minister)
>> There is excellent cooperation between France & Cyprus.
>> France wants Cyprus, an EU member state, to be able to ensure its responsibilities in its sovereign waters.
Angelides (Cypriot Defence Minister)
>> The naval drill is part of Cypriot-French cooperation but it also sends a message in relation to exercising the sovereign rights of the RoC in its EEZ.
>> The RoC remains committed to its efforts to terminate Turkish illegal activities through political, diplomatic & legal means.
Kyprianou (AKEL)
>> Warns against creating false impressions that the French frigate in block 7 would participate in warfare.
>> Any problems within the EEZ must not be dealt with through confrontation & escalation of tensions but by relaunching substantive talks.
>> Finds EU reaction to Turkish provocations as lukewarm.
Prodromou: EU must take stand against Turkish aggression
Alithia, Haravgi, Kathimerini, Phileleftheros, Politis, Simerini
EU Matters, Energy, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
The dailies report on Sunday that the EU could prioritise Turkey’s invasion of northern Syria to the detriment of sanctions against her illegal moves in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Government spokesman Prodromos Prodromou told Politis that this week will be decisive as regards decision making since the EU Foreign Affairs Council is taking place on October 14 followed by the European Council on October 17 and 18. The Foreign Affairs Council meeting will shed light on what measures the EU can take to send a message to Turkey, he said, adding however that it was up to the EU leaders to take the appropriate political decisions that would send clear messages to Turkey.
“There are choices, but what’s important for us is that the EU will show, beyond the expressed solidarity, that it wants to send out a message of deterrence to Turkey,” Prodromou said.
He added that Turkey’s actions are a destabilizing factor in the region, not only at sea but also in the sensitive area of Syria.
“It is clear expansionism, this time at the expense of Syria, and an effort to prevail in the entire area,” Prodromou said.
On the concerns by EU member states that Turkey could retaliate by taking advantage of the refugee crisis, Prodromou said the European leaders must assess the situation and make those decisions that would protect Europe and their countries but at the same time make clear to Turkey that she needs to stop taking advantage of the drama of refugees and use it as a weapon of blackmail.
He added that Cyprus too has been under a lot of stress as regards migrant flows and that the island’s vulnerable spot is the occupied areas. “We don’t know what Turkey will allow to happen as regards this issue,” he said.
Meanwhile, speculations abound about the stance of the upcoming European Council on possible sanctions on Turkey.
Politis, in an analysis piece, reports that government circles assess that due to the negative climate between Brussels and Turkey, the possibility of an increased disposition for a harsher stance against Turkey is visible. The daily said however that the procedure will not be solely based on the disposition of the EU and its institutions but also on the interests and conjunctures that unfolded during the previous European Council.
The question arising from the unwillingness of the EU member states to fully sever their ties with Turkey over her questioning of the Cypriot EEZ in tandem with the strong statements by Brussels on the Syria invasion is whether the bloc is willing to open two fronts against Turkey, the daily said.
According to Phileleftheros, with Turkey threatening to open the gates allowing millions of Syrian refugees and other immigrants to reach Europe, Nicosia’s attempt to see sanctions against crew members of the Yavuz drillship and executives of companies that support Turkey’s drilling programme are precarious.
Kathimerini reported that it remains to be seen if the Syrian issue will overshadow the Cyprus issue. The certainty is that the migration issue is what ties the EU’s hands at the moment from taking strong measures against Turkey and in support of the Republic of Cyprus, the daily reported.
Greece and Germany have set the migration issue as a priority and have already sent Cyprus the message that they cannot afford harsh measures because of this issue, Kathimerini reports. According to Simerini, the question is whether the Republic of Cyprus will be able to take advantage of the current situation for its own benefit.
KEY ACTORS
Prodromou
>> Turkey’s actions in Cyprus & now in Syria are a destabilizing factor in the region. It is clear expansionism & an effort to prevail in the entire area.
>> EU leaders must assess the situation on migration & make decisions that would protect Europe but at the same time make clear that Turkey needs to stop using refugees as a weapon of blackmail.
>> Concerned over Turkey’s possible reaction on the migration issue given that the occupied areas are Cyprus’ vulnerable spot as regards migrant inflows