Front Page Headlines
Decision for an ‘investigation’ that will (in reality) be a check
If discrepancies are found, there might be annulments of naturalisations. Only one citizenship has been revoked to-date, while a second one is in the process of being revoked. The announcement of a new investigation and the determination to attribute responsibilities was met with humour.
- Mevlut’s (Cavusoglu) terms on the Cyprus problem
- Cavusoglu is celebrating – Moscow-Ankara on the same page on Syria.
The General-Secretary is waiting for the letters
Anastasiades-Akinci are preparing to send notes as per the request of the Security Council. Lute in Nicosia in the second half of November.
- Turkey is buying time on the (immobile property) ‘committee’
Banks are the winners again
The banks are rubbing their hands for the first test of electronic auctions since yesterday they did very good. Ninety per cent of the real estate put up for auction was sold at much higher prices than the reserved ones. Of the 62 properties that were available at the electronic auction, 54 were housing units and eight were commercial ones.
- (Mevlut Cavusoglu) “The federation has not been ruled out”
- Common concerns by D. Koutsoumba – A. Kyprianou on developments in our area
Strict new bill to fight tax evasion
Everyone to file tax returns, all businesses must allow card payments.
Man from Pakistan drews the picture of the (trafficking) rings
A Supreme Court decision that says it all. He came to us through the occupied areas and used all our legal instruments to remain on the island. Some even secured fake documents for him to marry a Romanian, who ran away after the wedding…
- Cavusoglu: Only if the conditions we seek are created will we negotiate on the Cyprus problem
Main News
Cavusoglu: Talks only on Turkey’s terms
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process, Regional/International Relations, Property
OVERVIEW
The two leaders are expected soon to each send their reports to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres giving an account of their actions to help set the stage for achieving a viable and comprehensive solution as per the request of the Security Council (SC) while Turkish Foreign Minister warns that there can only be talks under the conditions Turkey wants. These are the main items in papers on Thursday.
Phileleftheros reports in its main article that the two leaders are expected to send Guterres their letters as per the request of the SC in its latest resolution on the renewal of UNFICYP’s mandate providing written updates to the Good Offices Mission on the actions they have taken in support of what the Security Council asked in the relevant resolution with a view to reaching a sustainable and comprehensive settlement.
As Guterres’ report on his Good Offices is to be submitted to the SC by November 15, the two leaders’ notes are expected to be sent within the coming week or beginning of November the daily reported. It adds that the notes will help paint a picture on the positions of the two sides ahead of the trilateral meeting between Guterres and the two leaders later in November but also be a good basis for UN envoy Jane Holl Lute to prepare her notes ahead of her visit to the island.
Citing information, the paper reports Lute is expected on the island in the second half of November.
Meanwhile, the two leaders are to attend on Thursday evening a reception held by UNSG Special Representative Elizabeth Spehar at Ledra Palace on the occasion of UN Day marked on October 24, the papers report.
All dailies report on the statements by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu who warned that Turkey has no problem going to talks on the Cyprus problem but will only do so if the conditions it wants are there. If the GCs do not want to negotiate on that framework then Turkey will carry on its way along with the ‘TRNC’, he said, according to the papers. Cavusoglu also said Turkey has not ruled out a federal solution but that all choices must be put on the table and all sides must first express their positions so that everyone knows what they will be negotiating about.
In the meantime, in another article Phileleftheros also reported that the Cypriot government said in a letter to Guterres that it expects Turkey and the occupation regime to comply with the clear calls of the SC to respect the status of Varosha.
The letter, sent earlier in the month by Cyprus’ Permanent Representative to the UN Andreas Mavroyiannis, notes that any actions that might adversely affect the right of return and the property rights of the city’s lawful inhabitants must be avoided. The government said that this was a matter of grave concern, namely Turkey’s threats to open Varosha in violation of SC resolutions, the paper reported.
KEY ACTORS
Cavusoglu (Turkey)
>> Turkey has no problem going to talks on the Cyprob but only under the conditions she has set. If GCs are not willing to negotiate on that basis Turkey will carry on its way along with the ‘TRNC’.
>> A federal solution is not ruled out but all other options need to be put on the table & each side will have to submit its positions so that it is made clear what will be negotiated on.
Mavroyiannis (Cyprus Permanent Rep to the UN)
>> Wants Guterres to intervene so that Turkey and the occupied areas comply with the calls of the SC to respect the status of Varosha & stop any actions that could affect the right of return but also property rights of the city’s lawful inhabitants.
>> Turkey’s threats to open Varosha is a matter of grave concern for the RoC.
Turkey secures extension from ECHR on GC property cases
Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Property, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
According to Phileleftheros, Turkey is trying to buy time in order to promote her plans as regards the closed-off town of Varosha but also the Immovable Property Commission (IPC) by securing an extension by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on submitting her positions on two cases concerning appeals by GCs about their properties.
Citing lawyer Achilleas Demetriades, the daily reports that the ECHR granted a six-week extension following Turkey’s request, on two cases concerning GC properties in Nicosia and in Varosha. Turkey and other interested parties have now until December 16 and 17 respectively to submit their positions.
Demetriades told Phileleftheros Turkey’s move is not irrelevant to Monday’s ‘court’ decision on another case concerning GC property in Varosha. He did not rule out that the extension request was part of Turkey’s wider plans on Varosha, recalling that on December 21 the period for the IPC’s operations expires, the paper reported.
The lawyer also
wondered whether the Republic of Cyprus would express interest in these cases currently
before the ECHR since the government’s intervention would not have to do with
the GC applicants but would be aimed at defending its own sovereign rights such
as the land registry which Turkey questions through the procedures before the
ECHR.
Phileleftheros but also the other dailies also report on statements by the chairman of IPC, Ayfer Said Erkmen, who said that after the ‘appeal court’s’ decision the road for GCs appealing to ECHR on Varosha properties has closed and that from now they would have to seek remedy through the IPC.
Cypriot MEPs parallel Turkish operations in Syria with 1974 invasion
Phileleftheros
EU Matters, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The paper reports that Cypriot MEPs took the opportunity on Wednesday during a debate at the European Parliament plenary in Strasbourg on Turkey’s military operation in Syria to draw parallels with the 1974 invasion in Cyprus.
DISY MEP Lefteris Christoforou said the invasion in Syria was a heinous crime against the EU, Europe and humanity. He said Turkey is repeating itself, as it did with the Armenians in 1915, with Pontian Greeks in 1918, with the Greeks in Smyrna in 1922 and in Istanbul in 1955, with Cyprus in 1974, with Afrin last year and now with the Kurds.
DISY’s other MEP, Loucas Fourlas said Europe is absent from what is happening in Syria, just as the international community remained silent in 1974 on Cyprus and let Turkey finish off her crime and remain unpunished.
DIKO’s Costas Mavrides spoke about attempted ethnic cleansing in Syria noting that the situation is similar to that in Cyprus.
AKEL concerned over Turkish provocations
Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Regional/International Relations, External Security
According to the daily, AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou and leader of Greece’s Communist Party (KKE) Demetris Koutsoumbas, expressed concerns over developments in the region but also about the Turkish provocations in the Cypriot exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Kyprianou met Koutsoumbas during a visit in Athens this week.
The AKEL leader said they discussed among other things the latest developments on the Cyprus problem with Koutsoumbas expressing his party’s support for the reunification of the island.
“In the case of Cyprus I would like to say we are very concerned,” Kyprianou said, adding that Turkish provocation and aggression have escalated. Kyprianou said the GC side needs to adopt a comprehensive strategy to address the situation.
Kyprianou was to meet on Thursday with the head of SYRIZA and former Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras to discuss the Cyprus problem and the situation in the Cypriot EEZ, the dailies report.
KEY ACTORS
Kyprianou (AKEL)
>> Very concerned about the escalated Turkish provocation & aggression in the EEZ which ought to be addressed through the adoption of a comprehensive strategy.