Front Page Headlines
Showdown in the north
Ankara – Akinci spat seen as threat to Turkish Cypriot identity and interference in the elections.
- Protests as Turkey discusses the opening up of Varosha
- Beefing up the army: Recent reports of arms deals are not as sabre-rattling as they seem
- Coffeeshop: Show trials and martyrs, EDEK style
- Comment: Price and politics: we’re ignoring the realities of our gas find
EU cuts half of funds regarding migration
Cyprus will get only 46 million euro (down) from 100 million euro, due mainly to Brexit. The problem seems to have been taken up by Germany, who has already sent the message that it will settle the affair during her presidency.
- We rejected a dangerous proposal of the Commission about halloumi
- Famagusta again in the strategy of multiple crises
- Energy: Silence over FLNG station that should worry Nicosia
- Narratives column: The battles of Agios Sozomenos
- Editorial: Obedient slaves
- Savvas Iakovides (opinion): The revival of the (united defence) dogma entails realisation of Turkish threat
- Androulla Giurov (opinion): The howls of the “Gray Wolves” are not enough
- Antonis St. Stylianou (opinion): Turkey’s energy actions
- Petros Th. Pantelides (opinion): We reject any action that abolishes the RoC
- Nikos Katsourides (opinion): There is a conqueror and it is Turkey
This is how I will bring a solution to the traffic problem
An interview with Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos. We expedite the process to install a modern system of management of traffic. We redesign bus lines to convince citizens to use buses. For the redesign to happen there need to be new one way streets so that one lane can be given exclusively to buses. New incentives for electic (cars).
- Syria: Idlibs tries everyone’s endurance
- USA – China: A geopolitical war
- Visual arts: Five artists participated in a residency on creating peace-promoting narratives and prepare an exhibition with the results
Strong winds for gas
Ankara “stuck” on tension, French will send fighter planes to Paphos. Annoying games by Germany.
- Turkish vice president: “It’s time for the enclosed city to open” – Fuat Oktay defined the route of the next steps. Turkish Cypriots protest against Turkish plans.
- Nikos Moudouros (analysis): The idea of annexation
- The Turkish plans for 2020: Escalation of tension at the energy block of the “4”
- Nicolas Papadopoulos (interview): The Democratic Party will be in the next government
- Bra de fer between Nicosia and Commission: A prompt with an ultimatum by the “27” to Turkey – What Nicosia demanded in order to approve publication of developing conclusions
- What happened at Lancaster House on February 1959
- The church crisis that divided Cyprus
Colleges “incubators” of asylum seekers
Ministry of Interior opens file of colleges and virtual weddings for bestowal of political asylum. New hosting center with capacity for 500 people being built.
- Party politics: Pathogenies of centrist parties rise to the surface
- Demetris Papadakis (interview): Sizopoulos cleared away all EDEK officials
- George Pamboridis (interview): Interests instead of principles at DISY
- Syrian (issue) on a tightrope
Economy of the many not the few
- “Round table discussion (on Famagusta) a provocation”
- (Analysis) The Turkish political elit is indifferent to T/cypriot presence on the island
- (Analysis) A referendum over Cypriotism or Turkism in progress in the occupied areas
- In the memory of Turkish Cypriot victims of fascism
From words and threats they move to actions
Ankara and Tatar – Ozersay organised yesterday’s fiesta – discussion in the Varosha closed-off city. A recital of provocative statements and commitments for immediate opening of the city. “We did not show passport to come here. We are on TRNC territory” said Erdoğan’s envoy, vice president Fuat Oktay.
- Opinion – intervention: “Regular” or “loose” federation?
- D. Papadakis testified to the police: Interrogators start work
- Analysis: The nail with the flesh and Alexandretta
Main News
Protests on both sides as Turkey and T/Cs discuss opening Varosha
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Simerini
Territory, Economy, Property, Human Rights, External Security, Regional/ International Relations, Negotiations Process, Governance & Power Sharing
Most Sunday papers extensively cover Saturday’s round-table conference on the prospect of opening up the fenced-off city of Varosha with the participation of Turkish officials and members of the north’s right wing “government”, as well as protests held in both sides against the event. Cyprus Mail reports that the discussion took place in Varosha’s Sandy Beach Hotel.
Turkish vice president in charge of T/C affairs Fuat Oktay said in a speech that it was neither legally nor politically nor economically acceptable that Varosha should remain idle, Cyprus Mail writes, citing reports by T/C media. Oktay added that the magnificent view had been turned into a ghost town and that T/Cs could not wait for another half century.
Oktay also said that the land that T/C religious property foundation Evkaf owns in the closed off city “could not be sold” and added that others could file property claims with the Immovable Property Commission.
In an interview with Turkish channel NTV from Varosha, Oktay said that there would be studies made into the state of the approximately 8,650 buildings in the area. He added that a study into the Ottoman archives would be completed soon since Varosha was Evkaf land prior to 1878 and the passing of the island into British administration.
The event was also attended by Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul, T/C “prime minister” Ersin Tatar and “foreign minister” Kudret Ozersay. As part of the event, organised by the Turkish Union of Bar Associations, the participants were taken on a tour of the fenced-off city.
The newspaper also reports that Famagusta’s G/C municipality staged a demonstration on Saturday evening at the Dherynia crossing point. A demonstration was also held in the north by T/C citizen groups and parties Famagusta Iniative, Leftist Movement, New Cyprus and United Cyprus, as well as teachers’ union KTOS, press union Basin-Sen and Dev-Is. Representatives of the groups marched towards the fenced off town and were barred by “police”, leading to scuffles.
KTOS head, Burak Mavis, said Famagustans are not only those that speak Turkish and called for the return of Varosha to its rightful owners.
Famagusta mayor Simos Ioannou told the Cyprus News Agency during the protest in the south that they would take “peaceful but forceful decisions”, that they had sent a letter to the UNSG Antonio Guterres and the UN Security Council, and that they were expecting a meeting with the UNSG’s representative in Cyprus, Elizabeth Spehar.
Kathimerini as well as Cyprus Mail report also on the preelection battle in the north in relation not only to the Varosha conference but also to the state of the negotiations and the reactions to Mustafa Akinci’s statements to the Guardian.
Kathimerini points out that part of Kudret Ozersay’s proposal is that after May the two sides should start strengthening cooperation in energy and the economy, in order to pave the way for the final negotiation when the state of affairs is ready.
KEY ACTORS
Fuat Oktay (Turkish VP)
>> It is legally, politically and economically not acceptable that Varosha should remain idle
>> The land owned by Evkaf in Varosha could not be sold
>> Others could file property claims with the Immovable Property Commission
>> There will be studies made into the state of the approximately 8,650 buildings in the area
Burak Mavis (KTOS)
>> Famagustans are not only the ones speaking Turkish
>> Varosha should be returned to its rightful owners
Simos Ioannou (Famagusta mayor)
>> The municipality will take peaceful but forceful actions
Turkish think tank believes 2020 will bring more tension in East Med
Cyprus Mail, Kathimerini, Phileleftheros, Politis
Energy, Economy, External Security, Regional/ International Relations, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
Phileleftheros reports on a study by Turkish Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) which shows that the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean will not de-escalate because the countries in the region will continue not taking Turkish interests into account.
The report, according to the newspaper, assesses that in 2019 an “energy block” constituted by Israel, Greece, Cyprus and Egypt prevented Turkey and the “TRNC” from exercising their rights in the area and that Turkey was passive in its actions until recently, concentrating on diplomacy. The report also points out that militarising the dispute could lead to misunderstandings with deadly consequences.
SETA also points out that the Turkish – Libyan MoU on maritime areas delineation put all plans of regional players into doubt, especially since it could benefit Egypt, Israel and Lebanon more than Greece and Cyprus. The report also points out that if all regional actors agree on sharing the regional wealth, all their arguments can be reconciled.
SETA predicts that the region’s “energy block” will continue not taking into account Turkish interests. The foundation also predicts that the EU and the US will continue to suport the block, which could lead to Turkey being pressured, sanctioned or even isolated due to its response of engaging in its own drilling in the area. According to the report, the Turkey – Libya MoU will raise the cost of transferring natural gas to Europe.
Kathimerini reports that ENI – Total will conduct their first drillings for 2020 in April, in parcel 6. The drilling in that specific location had been programmed for the end of 2019 and was delayed due to weather conditions, the newspaper reports citing an earlier statement by Energy Minister Yiorgos Lakkotrypis. Kathimerini also reports that ExxonMobil – Qatar Petroleum will resume work in the Cypriot EEZ during the second half of the year.
In related news, Cyprus Mail runs an extensive feature on Cyprus’ recent plans to beef up security, breaking down the deals signed by the RoC with French companies for the provision of Exocet and Mistral missiles, as well as the discussions with the US.
The newspaper quotes analyst Giannis Ioannou from Geopolitical Cyprus, who points out that the deals being made do not necessary come as a response to Turkey’s actions. Ioannou notes that the purchase of the French missiles had been already in the pipeline since Cyprus has already bought French missile systems.
Ioannou also pointed out that Cyprus is faced with the paradox of having no access to US/ NATO weapon systems and limited access to EU and Greek systems, but being dependent on Russian systems until 2014 when the EU sanctioned Russia due to the events in Crimea. In this context, he said, programming the modernisation of the country’s defence systems is not merely related to Turkish movements.
The analyst added that there is a general perception among those who deal with weapons procurement that when buying weapons “you also buy an alliance”. The RoC’s recent collaboration with the armies of Egypt, Israel, the United Kingdrom and Jordan, in addition to the traditional cooperation with Greece, is part of a regional approach towards security and defence that goes beyond the traditional fear of Turkey, he pointed out.
Commenting on statements by Defence Minister Savvas Angelides on cooperation with the US, Ioannou pointed out that there is a distance between “lifting the US arms embargo” and “buying US-made weapons”. Contrary to the spin put by certain media, he said, the lifting of the embargo is conditional to continued cooperation against money laundering and denying access to Russian military vessels to ports for refuelining and servicing.