Front Page Headlines
EU – Turkey in a complicated relationship
27 Foreign Ministers to define their goals today. Hagia Sophia decree worsens an already tense climate, without however leading to immediate measures. Likeliest scenario is stagnation, without Josep Borrell receiving the mandate to prepare for dialogue.
- Hagia Sophia: Erdogan insists
Ready for diplomatic battle
Nicosia and Athens coordinate moves towards sanctions against Turkey. First briefing by Borrell today.
- Limited reactions against Turkey over Hagia Sophia
- Seven new coronavirus cases in Cyprus
- Eleni Stavrou (interview): Immediate measures against Turkey
- Seeks resettlement in occupied Dikomo
Turkish provocations go unanswered
Cyprus – Greece ask for strong sanctions. European FMs meet today. EU response feeble so far.
Measures or dialogue?
European FMs decide regarding Turkey. Tough line promoted by Cyprus, Greece and France seems to get no response from other partners. Borrell, European Commission and German Presidency seem to be leaning towards a dialogue with Turkey. Cyprus and Greece want sanctions but are not opposed to dialogue, given certain terms and conditions.
- M. Akinci berates “health ministry” in occupied areas for not yet having prepared an epidemiological report: You are an example of lack of seriousness, you embarrass us – Seven new cases in Cyprus, five among migrants that arrived through occupied areas, through Turkey, one is Serbian football player
- Erdogan for Hagia Sophia: A right and a wish of our nation. The people has decided
- Archbishop: Turks remained uncivilised and boorish
Main News
Borrell in difficult effort to get mandate from FAC to negotiate with Turkey
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileftheros, Politis
External Security, Energy, Regional/ International Relations, EU Matters, Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
EU High Representative Josep Borrell will seek a mandate to negotiate with Turkey on all fronts during the Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Monday, the dailies report. At the same time, Greece and Cyprus, and possibly France, could request a renewed drive for sanctions over Turkey’s actions in the Cypriot EEZ as well as in relation to Libya.
Politis reports that Borrell is not going to bring up the possibility of sanctions but that he will focus more on the need for dialogue on all fronts. The Commission reportedly understands that to unblock relations, Turkey needs to put an end to its actions in the Eastern Mediterranean, but also expects all parts to contribute to de-escalation through negotiations.
Greek Foreign Minister Nicos Dendias told journalists on Sunday that the EU has to respond to Turkish provocations, and that it will not like the results if Turkey is left to act unimpeded.
The dailies also report on a statement by Turkish President Tayip Erdogan on the Hagia Sophia controversy as well as on the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean. Erdogan said that international reactions on the issue had no significance for Turkey and that it is up to the Turkish people to decide on the Hagia Sophia’s status.
Regarding the regional situation, Erdogan said in an interview that Turkey does not seek tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean and that the country is open to cooperation and a just sharing of the area’s hydrocarbons.
Erdogan also repeated his position that some countries are attempting to leave Turkey and the “TRNC” out of regional developments, despite the fact that the country has the largest coastline in the area. He added that hydrocarbons reserves are an opportunity for the entire region.
Meanwhile, Cyprus and Greece are pushing for diplomatic coordination ahead of Friday’s European Council. Phileleftheros reports that President Anastasiades will be visiting Athens on Tuesday, accompanied by Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides. There, Anastasiades will discus the approach the two countries will take with Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
According to the newspaper, Cyprus and Greece will ask for sanctions against Turkey over its actions in the Cypriot EEZ. At the same time, Greece wants to signal to Turkey that it will not accept the creation of faits accomplis in its own EEZ.
Diplomatic sources told the newspaper that Athens is engaging in a series of diplomatic contacts to point out that Turkeys’ aggressive stance needs to be countered since it is affecting regional stability. The two countries are also expected to draw special attention to the recent decision by the Turkish government to allow the use of the Hagia Sophia museum as a mosque.
In an interview with Phileleftheros, DISY MP and international relations expert Eleni Stavrou said that the EU should immediately move ahead with taking measures against Turkey. Stavrou also said that discussions over upgrading the Customs Union or visa liberalisation for Turkish citizens should not resume in the case of renewed negotiations.
Alithia also reports on a statement by Archbishop Chrysostomos, who said that Turks “have remained uncivilised and uncouth”, referring to the decision to use the Hagia Sophia as a mosque. The Archbishop added that he is more saddened by the limited reactions of the Europeans who instead concentrate only on their economic relations.
Five coronavirus cases found among migrants that arrived through north
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Migration & Citizenship, Internal Security, Human Rights, CBMs
OVERVIEW
Seven new cases of the coronavirus have been detected in the government-controlled areas on Sunday, the dailies report. Five of these new cases are migrants that had arrived to the south through the occupied areas, according to an official announcement by the Health Ministry.
The five migrants tested positive to Covid-19 before they were transferred to the Pournara reception centre, the dailies report. The refugees had travelled from Syria to Cyprus through Turkey.
The other two cases detected are a hotel-worker in Paphos, and a Serbian football player that had arrived in the country on July 10th.
Phileleftheros recalls that there have been 26 coronavirus-related deaths in Cyprus up to July 9th. A total of 845 coronavirus patients left hospital (85.9%) and 32 had to go to intensive care (3.2%). According to the data, there has been an average of 19,329.5 tests per 100,000 inhabitants of Cyprus.
Phileleftheros also reports that the T/C side has brought up once again old traffic fines for inhabitants of the Tillyria area. According to information cited by the newspaper, the fines were supposed to have been settled last year.
The newspaper’s sources point to the move as retaliation by the T/Cs over the recent protests by inhabitants of the region which resulted in blocking the refuelling of the Turkish enclave in Kokkina. The inhabitants had been protesting over the restrictive measures imposed by the T/Cs at the Limnitis checkpoint.
In another coronavirus-related development, T/C leader Mustafa Akinci has openly criticised the T/C health “ministry” for not having yet provided him and that T/C members of the Technical Committee on Health with an epidemiological report.
Akinci said in a statement that the bicommunal committee is expected to meet for the third time on Tuesday in order to assess the situation in both sides. However, the T/C members still have not received the report, despite promises made by the health “minister” during a discussion in “parliament” last Monday.