Front Page Headlines
Yiorkadji list in the cooker again
Red loans serial to be extended. D. Syllouris sent party leaders new mandate of ad hoc committee yesterday after changing them wholesale. By the end of July the special committee will be called to examine whatever is “necessary” so that process is delayed even more.
- Borrell – Turkey: Nicosia reacts, silence from Athens
Decision time for the EU
Urgent call on Brussels to take decisions against Turkey. Nicosia and Athens in diplomatic race.
- Enough is enough: Tillyria residents cut off passage to Kokkina – Kyriakos Koushios: “Government took the issue to the UN and is waiting”
- A historic step after East Med: Israel – Greece agreement for supply of equipment
- Natasa Pelides and Vasilis Demetriades confirmation: Goal is to establish RoC on energy map
- Shameful behaviour towards mother of missing person
Five groups of medium-sized businesses without support
Medium-sized owners and freelance workers left behind. Increased danger of bankruptcy in tourism sector. Support to people with low pensions left at promise.
- Solving the Cyprus Problem a priority
- Sprayed remains… remain unidentified
- Checkpoints: Tillyria residents waiting, T/C workers also react
Couple held as toddler abused
State pathologists report child had bruises and scratches over body.
- President warns EU of Turkey’s audacity
He hit a wall
Ankara completely negative in front of Borrell. Tayip Erdogan provocatively refused to even see Josep Borrell, who left disappointed and annoyed with what he heard. President: It was confirmed that (Turkey) is a trouble-making country that wants to impose its own “international law”. European FMs: Will be informed by Borrell on Monday and take decisions on entire spectrum of EU-Turkish relations.
- “Government” decisions over checkpoints show unprecedented incompetence: They upturned everything and now have to run – T/C workers in government controlled areas accuse “government” of hating them
- Asylum seeker: Remains here for 16 years with consecutive appeals
Main News
Anastasiades reacts to Cavusoglu statements over East Mediterranean
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
External Security, Energy, Regional/ International Relations, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
President Anastasiades reacted to statements made by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu after his meeting with the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, the dailies report.
Anastasiades said that Europe needs to think clearly of the consequences of putting up with Turkey’s behaviour, and pointed out that Turkey is a trouble maker that claims dominance in the entire Eastern Mediterranean.
However, he avoided pointing out what his positions on the issue would be during next week’s European Council, noting that Cyprus is in coordination with Greece, France and other countries in order to hold back Turkey’s efforts to impose its own understanding of international law.
When asked what Borrell meant when he said that a dialogue is beginning between the EU and Turkey, Anastasiades said that the government expects to be briefed once Borrell leaves Turkey.
Politis points out that the Greek government avoided making any comment on Monday’s Borrell – Cavusoglu statement, as of Tuesday afternoon. The newspaper recalls that the Greek PM had recently told SKAI television that Greece expects Turkey to stop escalating in order for the two countries to be able to negotiate.
Meanwhile, government sources told Politis that Cyprus has not given the green light to Greece or anyone to negotiate issues regarding its EEZ or the sharing of the income from natural gas with Turkey. The RoC is expecting de-escalation to go hand-in-hand with the halting of Turkey’s efforts to create faits accomplis in the country’s EEZ. Politis points out that Turkey is seeking a formula for a dialogue with the EU that would leave the RoC on the side.
Phileleftheros focuses on threats issued by Cavusoglu against the EU in case of further sanctions and point out that this means that Ankara intends to keep tensions high. The EU’s relations with Turkey will be the focus of Monday’s Foreign Affairs Council, and the European Council will be called upon to ratify any additional measures. Phileleftheros and Alithia report that Borrell met against a wall during his visit to Ankara and that Turkish President Tayip Erdogan refused to meet him.
Political parties had varied responses to Borrell’s and Cavusoglu’s statements. AKEL said that the government needs to use the efforts made on the EU level to reopen a dialogue with Turkey without resorting to illusions and with a full understanding of the interests of other member states.
AKEL also points out that the statements made on Cyprus focused on the issue of sharing income from the extraction of natural gas. The party underlines that the real problem is the occupation and the division, and called for the government to promote a comprehensive solution as a priority.
EDEK said that Cavusoglu’s statements confirm Turkey’s provocative stance and repeated that Cyprus needs to move ahead with delineating its EEZ with Greece. Citizens’ Alliance expressed disappointment over Borrell’s statements, and said that either the government did not sufficiently explain the situation to the EU diplomat or Borrell refuses to face reality.
Solidarity said that Borrell’s statements were a cold shower and that the government is avoiding commenting. Finally, the Greens pointed that Turkey continues to deny entering into dialogue with the RoC, while accusing Europe of not taking substantive steps.
Meanwhile, Phileleftheros reports that the Greek parliament has ratified an agreement with Israel over defence, which includes provision of equipment. In a statement, Greek Defence Minister Nicos Panagiotopoulos said that this agreement, along with the agreement for the East Med pipeline, opens the way for the pursuit of common geopolitical interests.
Restrictions at Limnitis checkpoint cause Kokkina protest
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Internal Security, External Security, Human Rights, CBMs
OVERVIEW
The dailies report on the developments that followed the decision by inhabitants of Kato Pyrgos Tillyrias to block the road leading to the Kokkina enclave on Monday, as a protest over the T/C “government’s” changed policy on crossings.
As a result of the protest, a Turkish military convoy that had been in Kokkina had to stay in the enclave, Phileleftheros reports. The inhabitants point out that it is unacceptable that they are not allowed to drive to their work while the Turkish army is allowed to come and go to the enclave. As a result of the north’s surprise changes in policy, residents that had been returning to the village through the Astromeritis checkpoint had been turned back by the T/Cs and had to drive around the long way.
According to the dailies, the protest surprised the T/Cs which had to inform the RoC through UNFICYP that the Turkish convoy would not cross back into the north through the government-controlled areas for now.
Residents told the media that they will continue to block the way until the previous state of affairs is reinstated.
Phileleftheros reports that government spokesperson Kyriakos Koushios said that the RoC has contacted the UN and is expecting a response.
UNFICYP spokesperson Aleem Siddique told the Cyprus News Agency that the UN are in communication with the T/C authorities and that there is an effort under-way to clarify the situation regarding all the checkpoints.
Haravgi and Alithia also report that the new measures imposed by the “government” have adversely affected T/C workers employed in the south. The group of workers said in a written statement that the behaviour of the “government” can only be explained as a result of hatred on behalf of T/C authorities. They pointed out that the authorities are unable to keep to a decision and handle the situation.
Process of identification of missing faces severe delays
Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Human Rights, CBMs
OVERVIEW
The parliamentary committee for issues relating to missing persons discussed the delays in identifying remains of missing persons found by the Anthropological Lab of the Committee for Missing Persons, the dailies report.
Haravgi reports that the head of the parliamentary committee, Skevi Koukouma, said that the CMP informed the committee that they were about to restart work in 7 points in the occupied areas and one in the government-controlled areas. However, she noted, the recent changes imposed by the T/Cs on crossings has delayed work once more.
The president of the Committee for the Missing of 1963-64, Charis Symeonides, told the committee that the remains of 16 missing from that period had been found in Hamit Mandres in 2012, Phileleftheros reports. Since, only ten had been identified.
Symeonides also said that the CMP has been using small coffins for returning the remains of identified persons instead of coffins in regular sizes. He added that an official from the CMP responded to complaints by saying they have 250 small coffins in stock and that they need to be used.
The government’s human rights commissioner Photis Photiou pointed out that he has instructed the authorities to give the relatives the option of getting the remains in a regular-sized or small coffin, and noted that some relatives prefer smaller boxes.
Photiou also cast doubt on the position shared by the T/C member of the CMP that the 70 missing from the village of Ashia had been moved from their initial burial place by T/Cs, as well as information that they had been buried in Dikomo. G/C member of the CMP, Leonidas Pantelides, said that there is more information regarding this case that needs to be investigated.
Phileleftheros focuses on the story of the mother of a missing person who passed away in a care home as she was waiting for government services to approve additional provisions. The story was shared by the president of Pancyprian Organisation of Relatives of Undeclared Captives and Missing, Nicos Sergides.