Front Page Headlines
Paphos anxious for UK tourists
Resort depends on British market, calls for clear decision on when they can come.
- UNSG: Absence of a solution is increasingly unsustainable
- ‘Starving’ Lebanon: Cyprus has always been a safe heaven for Lebanese, but probably not this time
Defence coalition on the way
France, Italy, Greece and Cyprus talks are at advanced stage. Quadrilateral cooperation will cover the region of the Eastern Mediterranean, aiming for stability and peace in the region. What are Nicosia’s thoughts over tomorrow’s Council. Why Israel sees quadrilateral cooperation in a positive light. How the quadrilateral hopes to cover a security gap in the Mediterranean. How Turkey proclaimed Borrell initiative as failed. Italy’s concerns and why it is scared of Salvini and Erdogan.
- Neo-Ottoman logic and practise of neo-conquest: “The second fall”
- Letter by Sami Revel: EEZ, Palestine and us…
- (Editorial) On the edge of Vienna
- Analysis by A. Pentaras: Need to reconstitute the Cypriot Army
- Foreign Ministers Summit: Ready to authorise Borrell to negotiate with Erdogan
- Analysis by A. Theophanous: The anatomy of the invasion and its implications
- Savvas Iacovides (opinion): Why Libya is of urgent interest to the EU, Greece and Cyprus
- Christodoulos Giallourides (opinion): Steps by Ankara and international actors in Libya
- Xenis X. Xenofontos (opinion): Memories from July – August 1974
- Christos Demosthenous (opinion): War theory and Turkey
- Nicos Katsourides (opinion): USA and Cyprus, the main goal
Cyprus tests will be guide for flights
Health ministry submitted sample with 10,666 aeroplane passengers. Only one person found to have contracted the virus during a flight. Data submitted to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. 160 of the repatriated were positive, but they had already contracted the virus
- Cyprus Problem: Everything around changes and everything stays the same – A dramatic call by Antonio Guterres to restart negotiations – Akinci re-election in October likely to open another window of opportunity for a BBF solution – probably the last – Borrell and the return to quaint politics
- Hagia Sophia: A crossroads of civilisations
Responds with new faits accomplis
Ankara threatens the EU, while also setting sail for Kastelorizo and also eyeing Crete. France and Greece “cooking” something.
- Outrage over Hagia Sophia: They spread carpets and cover murals…
- Cyprus – US cooperation: IMET programme is only the beginning
- Coup d’état: Allies’ coordination for partition of Cyprus
- Iebrahem Muslem: “Turkish occupation is a trauma on history”
Towards a Greek – French strategic agreement
Anastasiades’s visit to Athens on Tuesday in search of a joint approach by Athens and Nicosia.
- Undeterred, Erdogan challenges the West
- Politics: Partnerships have become a need
- Occupied areas: From the bottom to the top
- Alexandros Diakopoulos (interview): Greek red lines known to all
- Natural gas: The first step at Vasiliko
- Petros Karagiannis (interview): A second wave will be dealt with
- Greece: Moria empties, Viktorias fills
Lack of solution in Cyprus Problem not viable
- International: Erdogan’s decision over Hagia Sophia “an act of desperation”
- G/Cs and T/Cs seek opening of Pyroi checkpoint
- (Sotiris Roussos interview) European initiative has barely noticeable influence on Turkish behaviour
They consider subsidising test for Brits themselves
Hotel industry is desperate. Brits send message that they will not come to Cyprus because they do not want to pay high cost of test. Increased possibility that “subsidising” of test by hotel owners will cause reactions from other citizens. Everything shows that we are heading towards a destructive year for tourism with repercussions for our economy.
- Analysis: The end of the Crusades and of retaliations
- They are preparing for the first prayer
- Guterres report: No solution more and more non-viable
- Theodoulos Theodoulou: Seeks resettlement in his village – Determined to return to Kato Dikomo 46 years later
Main News
UNSG Guterres: Continued non-solution is unsustainable
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis, Simerini
Negotiations Process, Internal Security, Human Rights, CBMs
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is expressing concerns over the viability of the current situation in his two reports regarding UNFICYP and the peace process, ahead of the discussion to renew the mandate of the peace keeping force, the dailies report citing information from the Cyprus News Agency.
According to reports, Guterres notes in the drafts of his two reports that he is concerned over the progressive increase of tensions on the island after the collapse of the Crans Montana summit. Guterres underlines that the lack of progress or any negotiation since 2017 does not mean that the status quo will remain unalterable.
Guterres points to increased tensions along the buffer zone, to the increased inflow of irregular migration, to the controversy regarding the re-opening of Varosha and the hydrocarbons issue.
Particularly on Varosha, Guterres reiterated the UN’s position that any decisions must be taken in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions. Guterres also said that hydrocarbons and natural resources should be an area of cooperation and called on all sides to return to dialogue.
Guterres also makes a point of mentioning that the two sides did not manage to take advantage of the coronavirus pandemic to strengthen their cooperation. He does point out that he is encouraged by the fact that measures imposed during the initial stage of the pandemic are now being lifted, and congratulated both sides for the way they handled the situation.
He noted however that there were lost opportunities for cooperation, and called the two sides to coordinate and cooperate by supporting the work of the bicommunal technical committees, especially over issues of health, the economy and crisis management. He also called for the leaders to arrive at a comprehensive plan for the full reopening of the checkpoints.
In his report regarding the negotiations process, Guterres also underlined that no confidence building measures can replace a comprehensive negotiation that leads to a solution. Guterres calls for the two sides to restart negotiations as soon as possible.
A government source told Politis that the US are not taking into account Turkish efforts for a confederal solution due to the fact that they are only interested in seeing the matter solved, while Russia is satisfied to let NATO in disarray and the Eastern Mediterranean in instability. The same source points out that the EU pushes for dialogue and that Germany does not want to have to face a crisis, and that the UN has little incentive to push for new talks.
According to the government source, only the UK seems to be interested in the negotiations, and so far have remained focused on achieving a federal solution.
Both Politis as well as Kathimerini report that in the north T/C leader Mustafa Akinci has regained the lead ahead of the October election, mainly thanks to the mistakes made by the “government” in handling the coronavirus pandemic.
Politis also points out that the question is how Turkey will handle the Cyprus Problem in case Akinci is re-elected, since the current T/C leader is pushing for a resumption of negotiations even without a deal on hydrocarbons. According to the newspaper, if Akinci is re-elected, then Anastasiades will have to deal with the issues of how to restart the negotiations and the question of the form of the solution. Politis implies that if Akinci is not re-elected, things will be easier for Anastasiades.
However, Politis adds, Anastasiades is currently waiting out the developments hoping that Greek – Turkish relations do not escalate.
France and Greece are seeking strategic regional coordination
Alithia, Kathimerini, Phileleftheros, Simerini
External Security, Energy, EU Matters, Regional/ International Relations
Kathimerini reports that Greek prime minister Emmanuel Macron and Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis are due for a meeting on the margins on Friday’s European Council. Despite the fact that the discussion will focus on the negotiations for the Multi-annual Financial Framework, the two leaders are also expected to examine ways of upgrading bilateral defence cooperation during a time of increased activity by Turkey.
The dailies also report that during President Anastasiades’ meeting with Mitsotakis in Athens on Tuesday, the two leaders are expected to discuss all eventualities, include the possibility of a military incident with Turkey in the region.
Kathimerini points out that the meeting will take place amidst increased criticism against the Cypriot government by Greek government circles. The newspaper points out that leaks to the Greek press have given indications that public statements made by Anastasiades have caused irritation in Athens.
Regarding the Macron – Mitsotakis meeting, Kathimerini reports that Mitsotakis has told sources that there will be no final decisions on defence cooperation during Friday’s meeting. However, the two countries are expected to set down a framework for comprehensive cooperation.
Meanwhile Greece is reported to be pleased with the positions expressed by Germany. Sources told the newspaper that Greek Foreign Minister Nicos Dendias was able to participate in a teleconference on Libya organised by the UN Security Council thanks to the intercession of Germany, and that Berlin and Athens are in constant communication.
Simerini reports that Greece, Cyprus, Italy and France are considering a quadrilateral cooperation centred on defence. According to the newspaper, the four governments have also shared maps of areas of operation with each other, in a bid to contribute to stability in the Mediterranean.
The plans are reportedly seen in a positive light by Israel, as well as the US, since three of the countries involved are NATO members.
The newspaper adds that this process will give other countries opportunity to use Cypriot ports for refuelling, and strengthen a sense of security for foreign companies operating in the Cypriot EEZ.
Phileleftheros reports that Turkey is intending to respond to any decisions by the EU with further provocative actions, possibly by making a move related to Kastelorizo, or conducted seismic surveys off the south coast of Crete.
The newspaper also reports that there are two trends currently within the EU. Germany, as the country presiding over the Council until the end of the year, does not want to escalate relations with Turkey. Other northern countries tend to agree with Germany due also to a wide range of relations. On the other hand France insists on a stricter stance due to the fact that Paris is at odds with Ankara over its own interests in Libya.
G/Cs and T/Cs call once again for opening Pyroi passage
Alithia, Haravgi
Human Rights, Internal Security, CBMs
Haravgi reports on the call by inhabitants of Athienou, Lymbia and Louroujina for the opening of the barricade at Pyroi which keeps the three villages stranded from the rest of the island due to the complicated lay out of the demilitarised zone in the area.
The newspaper notes that the opening of that particular checkpoint would allow the G/C inhabitants of the area to have easier and fastest access to Nicosia than today, especially university students that could remain in the town during their studies.
Athienou mayor Kyriakos Kareklas told Haravgi that the issue is high on the agenda of the two leaders since it is one of the CBMs submitted by President Anastasiades to T/C leader Mustafa Akinci. Kareklas said that travel time would be shortened from 45 minutes to only 10, which would also means patients would be taken faster to the Nicosia General Hospital, and that traffic congestion on the way into the city would be eased.
Louroujina “mayor” Hasan Barbaros told the newspaper that the T/Cs will also continue their efforts since the opening of Pyroi would help T/Cs that work in the south to cross faster and more efficiently. He pointed out that despite the fact that the south is only 500 meters away from the village, inhabitants now have to cross either through Nicosia or through Pergamos.
Residents of Lymbia and Athienou also told the newspaper that the opening would be a breath of fresh air to all in the area, G/Cs and T/Cs.
Alithia reports on the story of a Greek Cypriot who has decided to move to his village in Kato Dikomo to live, 46 years after he was forced to flee during the Turkish invasion. Theodoulos Theodoulou, then only 14-years-old, moved to Greece with his family as a refugee. He has been living in Larnaca with his wife since 2012.
Theodoulou told Alithia that he first visited his village, after much consideration, in 2003 shortly after the opening of the checkpoints. He added that he was not able to enter the area of the village where his family lived since it is now a military area, but that he could see from a distance that his family house had been demolished.
Since then Theodoulou has visited the village multiple times and been to the shop that his mother used to run. He said that he has contacts with T/C villagers and the community “leader”. Theodoulou told the newspaper that he has been appealing to the government and the T/C leader for assistance in moving back to the village, but has gotten no response.