Front Page Headlines
Guidance from new Attorney General needed
Strong concerns by Famagustians due to the reopening of the fenced-off city. They ask for legal advice regarding mass appeals from the current Attorney General. Measures that will not cause harm to issue’s political dimension being examined.
Rush to avoid problems
Nicosia makes moves ahead of UNFICYP report – Spehar and British in the background. The government wants message sent towards negotiations after the “elections”.
- Political heatwave conditions in Aegean
- Patriarch Bartholomew calls for prudence over Hagia Sophia
Half hungry and the other half in poverty
Last straw for hotel workers. They live with meagre benefits amounting to 360 euro per month. AKEL SG sends letter to President Anastasiades.
- France: A demanding discussion with Turkey
- Ledra Palace opens today for pedestrians. Ledras checkpoint remains pending
- Elections for Aglandjia mayor on August 2. Work on candidacies under way
No magic solution for the economy
CBC governor says NPLs are expected to increase 2021.
President points finger at Germany
Over its stance regarding Turkey. Macron is “ray of hope”, has Merkel wondered what she is helping to raise? German interests get in the way of a European unified stance. If Turkey believes she is right then why does she not accept appealing to an international court? He answers to those using blustering rhetoric.
- Ozersay: Ledra Palace checkpoint open again starting today
- Syrian man payed 5,000 euro and arrived to occupied areas with a jet ski
Main News
Anastasiades criticises Germany for stance over Turkey, praises France
Alithia, Haravgi, Oikonomiki Kathimerini, Phileleftheros
External Security, Energy, Regional/International Relations, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
President Anastasiades told Greek TV channel Open that Germany’s interests are the main issue undercutting the EU’s united stance against Turkey, Alithia reports.
Anastasiades pointed out that Turkey is currently in the process of building submarines with German assistance. He wondered if Germany has realised that it overlooks possible side effects to the interests of important countries in the EU for the sake of economic interests.
Anastasiades underlined that French President Emmanuel Macron’s stance is a “ray of significant hope”.
Regarding the position of Cyprus ahead of the next Foreign Affairs Council and the next European Council, Anastasiades said that the country expects the EU to escalate its response to Turkish intransigence in the region. He added that the more the EU takes the initiative in the region, the more it will be seen as a reliable international actor.
Anastasiades recalled that he told the EU’s High Representative Josep Borrell that the EU should not be blackmailed by Turkey but should strengthen the borders of Greece and Cyprus, as they are also the EU’s external borders.
Commenting on the maritime dispute with Turkey, Anastasiades said that if Turkey believes its stance is in accordance with international law, then it should have no problem taking the issue to an international court. He pointed out that President Erdogan is acting in ways unfitting of a country seeking to become an EU member, adding that Turkey’s stance regarding the Cypriot EEZ also violates the rights of the Turkish Cypriots.
Anastasiades also responded to criticism regarding his recent statements that Cyprus should avoid militarising its differences with Turkey. He said that other options, such as international law, regional cooperation and actions taken through the EU and the UN are much more effective, and pointed out that one can’t use blustering rhetoric when one has better “weapons”. He said that his statements are an indication of patriotic realism, meaning that Cyprus will not surrender but also that it will face Turkish aggression in effective ways.
Regarding the possibility of Cyprus negotiating with Greece over EEZ delineation, Anastasiades said that Nicosia is ready, but understands that such an exercise is not an immediate priority for Athens.
At the same time, German ambassador in Cyprus Franz Josef Kremp told the Cyprus News Agency in an interview that his country remains ready to help in any way it can regarding the Cyprus Problem. Germany is taking over the six-month rotating EU Council Presidency on Wednesday.
Regarding Turkish drillings in the Cypriot EEZ, Kremp told CNA that Germany unequivocally supports Cyprus in line with EU conclusions and statements, calling on Turkey to respect Cyprus’s sovereignty and for a solution through diplomatic means.
Regarding the issue of whether current EU sanctions are enough, Kremp said that there are always differences of opinion between member states regarding the effectiveness of certain measures.
Kremp was asked to comment whether sanctions against Turkey can be compared to sanctions against Russia over Crimea. His response was that the two issues are very different. Sanctions over Crimea refer to a specific incident, while sanctions over Turkey’s actions are connected to the broader context of the Cyprus issue and to the discussion between G/Cs and T/Cs over natural resources.
The dailies also report on statements on Libya made by Emmanuel Macron after a meeting with German chancellor Angela Merkel and the public reply of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. Macron had said that Turkey is the primary external actor in the Libyan civil war and accused the country of not respecting any of the decisions taken during the Berlin conference. Cavusoglu responded by accusing France of adopting destructive policies regarding Libya, adding that the country is involved in Libya only to promote its own interests.
Meanwhile, Phileleftheros reports that Cypriot FM Nicos Christodoulides will be in Athens on Friday to meet with Greek counterpart Nicos Dendias ahead of the next FAC. DISY leader Averof Neofytou is also travelling to Athens on Wednesday, in order to meet prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the ministers responsible for Education, Interior and Migration.
In another development, European People’s Party leader Manfred Weber said on Tuesday that the EU should not accept to be blackmailed by Turkey, and that Turkey should accept the Cypriot government’s proposal to negotiate over maritime borders.
He added that Turkey should remember that the most lasting and constructive elements of the Turkey-EU relationship were achieved not through gunboat diplomacy but through a comprehensive regional dialogue and the improvement of good neighbourhood relations.
Also, European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevicius, said on Monday, during a meeting of the EU’s Fisheries Council, that the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean should look into uncontrolled fishing by Turkish boats in Cypriot territorial waters. The issue was brought up during the discussion by Cypriot Environment Minister Kostas Kadis.
Diplomatic activity intensifies ahead of UNFICYP mandate renewal
Alithia, Oikonomiki Kathimerini, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process, External Security, Regional/ International Relations
OVERVIEW
Phileleftheros reports that Cypriot diplomacy is taking action ahead of UNFICYP’s mandate renewal and the accompanying UNSG report to the Security Council.
The RoC’s approach, according to information cited by the newspaper, is that the upcoming report should send the message that negotiations should restart immediately after October’s elections for T/C leader are concluded, and that they should restart from the point the discussions were interrupted in Crans Montana.
Phileleftheros notes that UNFICYP will submit a draft of the report to the UNSG’s office, which will then draft the final UNSG report, while at the same time the UK representation will as usual be the
”pen holder”, preparing the Security Council resolution concerning UNFICYP’s mandate renewal. The UNSG’s report is expected to be ready by mid-July.
Phileleftheros also reports that Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides has already discussed the issue with UK counterpart Dominic Raab and Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
The newspaper notes that the government is concerned over the objectivity of UNFICYP’s draft, citing the open disagreements between the government and the UNSG’s Special Representative, Elizabeth Spehar.
Oikonomiki Kathimerini reports that Raab assured Christodoulides that the UK will not add any “surprising” or unusual references in the Security Council’s draft resolution.
Ledra Palace checkpoint reopens while Ledra Street remains closed
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Oikonomiki Kathimerini, Phileleftheros
Internal Security, Human Rights, CBMs
OVERVIEW
The dailies report, citing reports in the T/C media, that T/C “foreign minister” Kudret Ozersay announced on Tuesday that the Ledra Palace checkpoint would reopen starting Wednesday. Ozersay announced that the checkpoint will be open from 8am to 8pm for pedestrians.
The Ledra Palace checkpoint was one of the checkpoints that had been opened by the RoC but not by the T/C administration.
The checkpoints had been closed for about three months after successive uncoordinated decisions by the RoC and the T/C “government”, as part of the two sides’ response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Regarding the Ledra Street checkpoint, which had been opened by the T/Cs but not by the RoC, Phileleftheros reports, citing government sources, that it would still not be safe for that specific crossing point to reopen due to the large volume of traffic expected.
The situation regarding the coronavirus is expected to be discussed in a meeting between President Anastasiades and the government’s team of epidemiologists on Friday.
Haravgi notes that the possibility of reopening the Ledra Street checkpoint is up in the air due to the fact that the T/C side is allowing flights from Turkey starting on Wednesday, despite the fact that the EU is cautioning against it.
Oikonomiki Kathimerini reports that Turkey is facing fears of a second wave of infections, which is also creating concerns in the occupied areas.
Famagustians will coordinate with FM and AG over Varosha
Phileleftheros, Politis
Property, Territory, Negotiations Process, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
Politis reports that the Famagusta Municipality has agreed to create a working team with the Foreign Ministry and the Law Office in order to seek steps that can be taken to prevent the unilateral re-opening of the fenced-off city of Varosha by the T/C administration.
According to information cited by the newspaper, the decision was taken on Monday during a meeting between representatives of the Municipality, led by mayor Simos Ioannou, and the Foreign Minister. The aim of the working group will be to develop measures and guidance for Famagustians that will not have adverse effects on a political level.
More specifically, Attorney General Yiorgos Savvides will be asked to give his opinion over a proposal by lawyer Achilleas Demetriades, who has called for the owners of properties along Varosha’s beach front to launch mass appeals to Turkey’s and the north’s Immovable Property Commission in order to slow down plans for re-opening the area.
Politis notes that political circles have argued that such a move could push the T/C side to speed up the unilateral re-opening of the area. The newspaper also reports, citing sources, that the former Attorney General had pointed out in a 17-page reasoned opinion on the issue that the main difference of Varosha over occupied areas is that the UN does not recognise any T/C authority over the area, and that such a move could undercut this argument.