Front Page Headlines
The IMF’s 10 commandments for the Cypriot economy
Tackling money laundering is a crucial priority. Moneyval’s unfavourable assessment has a negative impact. The Fund is calling for the implementation of a reliable divestment framework.
- They stood Spehar up – Cancellation by Anastasiades-Akinci.
- Norwegians also (interested to provide) LNG
A buffer to Erdogan from the EU
The Turkey-Libya agreement on the EEZ is being called illegal. “It violates the sovereign rights of third states.”
- Spehar: The controversy in the EEZ does not concern the UN
- Erdogan seeks wider crisis
Enough is enough – Nurses’ strike at the A&Es
Nurses are going on a two-hour work stoppage between 12pm-2pm today saying “it is impossible to manage the situation, lives are at risk, both of patients and staff.” Doctors go on strike on Friday saying surgeries are being postponed due to lack of beds.
- (AKEL) They are creating a police state (patrols in old Nicosia)
- The Aphrodite reservoir left hanging
- Tayyip Erdogan: Agreements on a win-win basis – Athens: The Turkey-Libya agreement must not be registered. A document-reference is being prepared by the EU high-level summit.
AG may appeal Rottweiler case
Said case concerns the tragic ending of an unsuspecting woman’s life as was mauled to death.
- President leaves for Brussels to talk to EU leaders about Turkish violations
- (photo caption) A military show was held for the public on Tuesday which saw members of the Special Forces show off their skills. Soldiers ran drills and performed training exercises at the camp in Stavrovouni.
Erdogan in a frenzy
He turns against all Eastern Mediterranean countries and threatens to set the whole region on fire. He declares that his agreement with Libya will prevent the construction of a natural gas pipeline between Cyprus, Egypt and Israel, threatens with drilling off Crete and announces the dispatch of Turkish troops to Libya to back his friend, Sarraj. EU draft: The agreement is void from the European point of view. It has no legal consequences for third countries. Greece: The void Turkey-Libya agreement should not be registered and published by the UN. (Greek President Prokopis) Pavlopoulos: The legitimacy of the Tripoli government is questionable. Who is the prime minister representing?
- Spehar’s reception: The two leaders did not go due to busy schedules
Main News
EU leaders expected to denounce Turkey-Libya agreement
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
EU Matters, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
President Nicos Anastasiades is departing on Wednesday for Brussels for the European Council summit taking place this week but he is also expected to hold contacts with other EU leaders and officials to discuss Turkey’s ongoing provocations, the dailies report.
In the meantime, the EU will announce through its leaders that the Turkey-Libya agreement is illegal.
According to the papers Anastasiades, while in Brussels, will also have a series of meetings with other EU leaders and EU officials.
Government spokesman Kyriacos Koushios told state broadcaster CyBC on Tuesday the government was stepping up efforts to achieve the most positive results at the forthcoming EU leaders’ summit on measures against Ankara for its continued illegal actions against the Republic of Cyprus.
He said the aim is to achieve the best possible resolution and the best possible outcome with regard to the sanctions that must be imposed on Turkey “in order to force her to stop or pay the cost if it does not stop the illegal actions, which are occurring daily in a different form.”
Koushios also said that Anastasiades, in consultation and coordination with the Greek government, would raise the issues that concern Cyprus and Greece before the European Council.
Phileleftheros, that got hold of the draft with the conclusions of the European Council, taking place on Thursday and Friday, reported that the EU leaders will announce that the memorandum signed between Turkey and Libya violates the sovereign rights of third states, is not in line with the Law of the Sea and it does not produce legal consequences for third states. It also reaffirms solidarity with Greece and Cyprus, the daily reports.
The document, however, is still under scrutiny by EU organs according to the paper.
Alithia too reports on the conclusion text citing the German News Service.
Citing Italian daily La Republica, Alithia, Politis and Phileleftheros also report that Italy sent a frigate to Cyprus for the protection of Italian vital interests. The Martinengo arrived in Cyprus last Friday and will be carrying out patrols in the East Med to monitor sea areas, within international law and the protection of national interests, the Italian daily reported, according to the papers.
In another article, Phileleftheros, citing statements by UN Special Representative Elizabeth Spehar to Sputnik news agency, reports that the UN official said that it was not for the UN to get involved in the confrontation between Cyprus and Turkey on offshore hydrocarbons. This is a matter to be resolved in courts, she said.
She also said that the best way for these issues to be resolved is a substantive solution to the Cyprus problem, the paper reports, adding that the statements were made last week after Cyprus announced it had sought recourse at the International Court of Justice at The Hague against Turkey.
KEY ACTORS
Koushios (Cyprus)
>> Government wants to secure the most positive results at the EU leaders’ summit on measures against Ankara for its continued illegal actions against the RoC.
>> The sanctions must aim at forcing Turkey to stop its illegal actions or suffer the cost.
Spehar (UN)
>> The UN will not get involved in the Cyprus-Turkey dispute on energy issues as this is a matter for the courts.
>> The best way to resolve energy issues is a substantive solution to the Cyprob.
Spehar: For different results, a different approach is necessary
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis online
Negotiations Process, CBMs
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that a reception held by UN Special Representative Elizabeth Spehar last night took place without the two leaders after both cancelled their participation citing busy schedules.
The two sides had announced on Monday the two leaders would be present at the reception held at Ledra Palace hotel.
Government spokesman Kyriacos Koushios said on Tuesday Anastasiades agreed to go initially despite his busy schedule after he had been informed that Akinci was going but cancelled after being told the TC leader would not attend after all. Anastasiades decided to cancel so that he could fulfil his own busy agenda, Koushios said.
The TC side too announced on Tuesday Akinci was not going because of a schedule change.
Politis reports that they stood up Spehar, who, in her speech kept an equidistant stance and focused on the positives.
According to the daily, Spehar said in her speech that there was still long way to go with regard to efforts to solve the Cyprus problem.
She also said while the status quo indeed remains, it is not static as changes in and around the island could make a solution increasingly difficult to achieve.
She particularly mentioned the reference in the UNSG’s latest report that this time things will be different, to emphasize that for things to be different and for the sides to reach a solution, everyone has to think about what they can do differently to help this process, the paper reported.
Spehar also gave particular importance to civil society, which according to her it has an extremely important role to play in relation to the final solution and among the positives, the confidence-building measures (CBMs) implemented in 2019 and thanked Anastasiades and Akinci for their attitude towards the Technical Committees. She also said a proposal for further strengthening of the Technical Committees is ready and would be shared with the two sides.
Spehar also called on the young people to reflect on how they envisage the future of Cyprus and on the two leaders to involve even more the youth and women in the procedure. She also called on the two sides to focus on the prospect of a solution, the paper reported.
KEY ACTORS
Spehar
>> There is still a long way to go as regards reaching a solution.
>> Developments show that the status quo is not static as changes in and around the island could make a solution increasingly difficult to achieve.
>> For things to be different everyone has to think about what they can do differently to help this process.
>> Civil society has an extremely important role to play in efforts to reach a solution.
>> Calls on young people to reflect on how they envisage the future of Cyprus.
>> Calls on two leaders to involve even more the youth & women in the procedure & on the two sides to focus on the prospect of a solution.
US expected to lift arms embargo on Cyprus this week
Alithia, Politis
External Security, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
According to the papers, the arms embargo US imposed on Cyprus in 1987, is expected to be lifted on Thursday by Congress through the approval of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA 2020).
The bill provides that the lift of the embargo will be valid as long as the US President confirms annually to Congress there is cooperation by the Republic of Cyprus on reform efforts on money laundering and Cypriot authorities refuse to offer services to Russian warships.
Politis reports that the government has declared several times that this did not mean Cyprus would have to choose between the US or Russia.
Sources, however, told the paper that such a development would offer yet another reliable source for further enhancing Cyprus’ defence since the US market offers substantial choices as regards equipment.
Call for assistance through Technical Committee to catch suspect
Politis
Internal Security, CBMs
OVERVIEW
The paper reports that a 26-year-old asylum seeker from Turkey is wanted by the authorities after stabbing and injuring his 36-year-old partner and her father in their home in Sina Oros in the mountain area of Nicosia.
The man is wanted for the attempted murder of the woman and her father and is believed he may have crossed to the north.
According to the daily the man stabbed his partner to the neck and other parts of her body as well as her father when he tried to stop him. They were both taken to hospital. Their condition is not considered critical.
Police issued an arrest warrant on the 26-year-old, who is nowhere to be found while it has not been ruled out that he may have crossed to the north, the paper reports.
The Technical Committee on Crime has been notified and in the case the man is located in the north, the GC side will ask to be handed over through the UN, according to the daily.