Front Page Headlines
Cabinet revokes 19 naturalisations
Proposal by (Interior Minister Nicos) Nouris based on the Kalogirou committee findings. Procedure for seven ‘investors’ and 12 family members of theirs. Confiscation of property assets by Mokas (Unit for Combating Money Laundering). Fake documents, false statements, non-disclosure of important information, are part of what lead to the decision for the revocation of the naturalisations. Hundreds of case files at the police. An investigation committee has been set up and soon they will start taking statements to substantiate criminal offences.
- Archbishop: Vetoes are not for small states
- Pompeo-Greece: Greek-Turkish relations and Souda on the menu
- Nagorno-Karabakh: International diplomacy has been mobilised
3+1 messages by Pompeo
The joint declaration included references that greatly disturb Erdogan. The US Secretary of State will visit the Souda base (in Crete) today.
- Accusations by Andros Kyprianou against Anastasiades-Christodoulides on the Cyprus problem
- Michel on Thursday’s summit: The EU wants to take a strategic position on the East Med
- Caucasus is burning and it causes concern around the globe: Russia and Turkey on opposite sides
They entrapped Cyprus in deadlocks
The government has trapped Cyprus into dilemmas and deadlocks, AKEL’s leader said yesterday during an event in Limassol on the anniversary of the Republic of Cyprus’ independence. Andros Kyprianou pointed out that there is no more time to waste on PR tricks and policies that remind apprentice wizards. The standstill made way for Turkish provocativeness. Cyprus will be Turkified unless reunited. It would be criminal to keep quiet during crucial moments.
- Michel’s proposal on a multi-party conference is on the table
- Erdogan’s claims that he defends the TCs’ rights are baseless
- Greece is a ‘crucial US ally’. They desire to strengthen the 3+1 cooperation.
Dozens killed and injured in clashes
Fiercest fighting since 1990s rages between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Messages to Turkey
Pompeo’s visit to Greece. Possibility of relocating military equipment from Incirlik to Souda. Desire by Greece and US to strengthen the 3+1 cooperation (Cyprus, Greece, Israel and US). Maritime zones issues should be resolved peacefully and based on international law.
- There will be no sanctions on Turkey – Statements by Charles Michel on next Thursday’s & Friday’s high-level summit. The summit will be dedicated on adopting a European strategic position on the East Med and Turkey.
- Morphou Bishop: According to a divine information, a great earthquake is coming
- Hostilities wage in Nagorno-Karabakh while Armenia and Azerbaijan declared martial laws
Main News
EU officials hint there will be no sanctions on Turkey
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
EU Matters, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that President of the European Council Charles Michel said the EU was working on a strategic position in connection with the Eastern Mediterranean region.
Citing Michel’s statements in his intervention during an event by Bruegel think tank, the dailies report he said pressure is exerted on the sovereignty of Greece and Cyprus while the EU’s relationship with Turkey is under strain. This is why the next European summit will be devoted to the adoption of a European strategic position in connection with this region, he said, according to the dailies.
Alithia reports that this, in addition with Germany’s reactions, was a sign that no sanctions will be imposed on Turkey by the leaders’ summit this week.
The daily also reports that EU officials made clear that what the Commission is after is de-escalation, dialogue and conflict resolution through talks.
Alithia and Phileleftheros also cite spokesman of the Commission and the EEAS (European External Action Service) Peter Stano saying that no matter what independent think tanks, analysts or commentators say, the EU’s position on the tension in the Eastern Mediterranean and possible restrictive measures is still the same. He said the Commission was very clear that it seeks de-escalation, dialogue and the resolution of issues through talks.
If that is not possible, then the leaders will discuss where the bloc’s relationship with Turkey should go, he said, adding it is the EU leaders that will decide what is going on and decide whether the EU will follow the path of dialogue or if they think the situation requires measures other than dialogue. “Any discussion of sanctions is premature because leaders will decide which direction to take later in the week” he said.
Alithia also reports that Commission Spokesperson Nabila Masrali said special advisor to High Representative Josep Borell, Natalie Tocchi, is a non- institutional adviser for the High Representative, and does not belong to his cabinet or the EEAS, is not in charge of specific foreign policy issues and does not represent the Commission, the EEAS or the High Representative, but speaks strictly personally in her academic capacity. This was explained to the Cyprus News Agency, Alithia reports, by Masrali over Tocchi’s recent disagreement with EU sanctions on Turkey. She had also predicted that the EU leaders would not take such action against Turkey. Tocchi had also said the notion cultivated in Greece and Cyprus that a ‘big brother’ in the form the US, EU, or France would intervene to safeguard their interests was a dangerous illusion. She added that this illusion prevented these countries from realising that the only solution is between the parties involved in the conflict, the paper reports.
Haravgi also reports that Michel said his proposal on a multi-party conference on the Eastern Mediterranean was still on the table. Citing his intervention at the think tank discussion, the daily reports that Michel said he proposed the organisation of a multilateral conference on the Eastern Mediterranean, where maritime delimitations, energy, security, migration, etc. would be discussed.
Phileleftheros, Alithia and Haravgi cite Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying that his country was not a guest in the Mediterranean but the host and warned there would be no peace in the East Mediterranean in any effort that leaves out Turkey and the TCs.
On the issue of sanctions on Belarus, Politis reported that Archbishop Chrysostomos indirectly criticised Nicosia’s stance by saying small states are not in a position to veto decisions.
He also said Turkey and Erdogan are taking advantage of the Europeans and their economic interests. The Archbishop also said the situation in the South-eastern Mediterranean is worse than in the Caucasus and that a Greek-Turkish conflict could lead to the dissolution of NATO’s south-eastern wing, the daily reported.
KEY ACTORS
Michel (European Council President)
>> The EU leaders will discuss the adoption of a European strategic position in connection with this region, due to that pressure to address the pressure on the sovereignty of Greece and Cyprus strained relations with Turkey.
>> Suggests a multilateral conference on the East Med to discuss maritime delimitations, energy, security, & migration issues.
Erdogan (Turkey)
>> Turkey is not a guest in the Mediterranean but the host.
>> Warns that no peace will prevail in the East Med as long as Turkey & the TCs are excluded.
Archbishop Chrysostomos (Church of Cyprus)
>> Believes small states like Cyprus cannot afford to impose vetoes.
>> Feels the situation in the SE Med is worse than in the Caucasus & that a Greek-Turkish conflict could lead to the dissolution of NATO’s SE wing.
Pompeo’s visit to Greece sends messages to Turkey
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Regional/International Relations, External Security
OVERVIEW
The visit by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Greece, and the messages it sends to Turkey features prominently in the papers on Tuesday.
After Pompeo’s contacts on Monday including a meeting with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias, the two countries issued a joint statement in which they reaffirmed their belief that maritime delimitation issues should be resolved peacefully in accordance with international law. “In this regard, the United States welcomed Greece’s confirmed readiness to engage with other countries in the region to achieve maritime delimitation agreements through dialogue and in accordance with international law,” it said.
The declaration, among other things, also said that the two sides reiterated “their desire to continue and strengthen their cooperation in various sectors in the framework of the 3+1 format (Cyprus, Greece, Israel, and the United States), which was launched in Jerusalem in March 2019, as this partnership can contribute to the promotion of peace, stability, security, and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean and the wider region”.
Pompeo later in the day went to Crete where he was due to stay at the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ residence and visit the Souda US military base on the island on Tuesday.
Phileleftheros and Alithia, citing The Times of London, report that Pompeo will use the visit to Greece to explore proposals to relocate key American assets from the Incirlik airbase in Turkey to Souda in Crete. Pompeo’s visit is seen as a sign of Washington’s waning patience with Turkish President Erdogan.
The UK paper cites defense analyst Athanasios Drougos, saying that it remained unclear whether Washington can move all equipment, including the nuclear arsenal, from Incirlik but that he believes, that Pompeo’s visit alone, that reinforces the message to Ankara that Washington is looking for alternatives, is a thorn in Erdogan’s side. The Times also note that the head of the US Senate Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, Ron Johnson, hinted earlier this month that the United States was considering Souda as an alternative to Incirlik.
“The US naval base in the Gulf of Souda is now playing a much larger and strategically important role”, Drougos said, the papers reported.
Phileleftheros also reports that Pompeo is sending messages to Turkey while the declaration included references that greatly annoy Erdogan.
It added that the timing of the visit is not random but of great importance given developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and the crucial upcoming European Council. The reference to the 3+1 cooperation is just as important and proves that the US want to send messages to Ankara by attaching great importance to the 3+1 cooperation, which, they know too well it bothers Erdogan.
It is obvious that, with Pompeo’s visit also in Greece after visiting Cyprus, how every action and position of the Americans shows the full understanding between Washington and Jerusalem regarding the Eastern Mediterranean. The American mobility in the region is clearly a positive consequence of Israel’s enhanced relationship with both Cyprus and Greece, the paper reports.
Alithia too reports Pompeo’s visit and statements sent multiple messages to Turkey.
KEY ACTORS
Greece, US
>> Reiterate that maritime delimitation issues should be resolved peacefully in accordance with international law.
>> Reiterate their desire to continue & strengthen their cooperation in various sectors in the framework of the 3+1 format that also includes Cyprus and Israel believing it can contribute to the promotion of peace, stability, security, and prosperity in the East Med & wider region.
AKEL accuses government of enabling Turkey
Alithia, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Problem, Regional/International Relations, External Security
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou accused the government of leading Cyprus in impasses and of encouraging Turkish aggression.
He was addressing an event in Limassol on Monday evening on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Cyprus’ independence.
According to the dailies, Kyprianou warned there was no time to waste on PR stunts and policies bringing to mind apprentice magicians as the possibility of partition now directly threatens Cyprus. The only way to stop this is “obsession with the agreed framework for a solution to the Cyprus problem” and sticking to what the UN Secretary-General calls on the sides to do.
He also said that Anastasiades’ inconsistency and his back and forths facilitate Turkey to constantly slip away from its responsibilities.
Every time AKEL points out the truth and what must be done for Cyprus’ future, he said, the president and ruling DISY either ask the main opposition party to keep quiet or accuse it of serving Turkish positions.
He stressed that Cyprus’ case is at such a critical juncture that it would be criminal for AKEL to remain silent.
He indicated that the stagnation observed especially after Crans-Montana, has allowed Turkey to escalate her aggression, violate the Cypriot exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and threaten with faits accomplis in Famagusta while Cyprus does not seem capable of reacting effectively.
The AKEL leader pointed out that while Turkey behaves in this way, the international community not only does not react effectively but is looking to find consensual solutions with her. He said this was also because the Cypriot government was not convincing on the clarity of its objectives and intentions because of Anastasiades’ regressions and Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides’ “amateurism” that raise a lot of questions.
Kyprianou accused the government of trapping Cyprus in dilemmas and impasses while what is more worrying is that it seems they are not even concerned by the zero results of their tactic.
The AKEL leader also pointed out that during the recent EU Foreign Affairs Council Cyprus was isolated due to its claims, adding Nicosia did not even convince Greece of the need for strict sanctions on Turkey.
Kyprianou said Cyprus will benefit only if, by utilising also the sanctions, it pursues a policy which will de-escalate tensions in the eastern Mediterranean and will open the road to dialogue and resumption of the Cyprus problem talks from where they left off in Crans-Montana based on the Guterres Framework and the convergences achieve thus far, Kyprianou said.
Phileleftheros reports that Kyprianou lashed out on Anastasiades and Christodoulides over their policy on the Cyprus problem.
KEY ACTORS
Kyprianou (AKEL)
>> Warns there is no time to waste on Cyprob but the government resorts to PR stunts & hocus pocus while the threat of partition is looming over Cyprus. The only way to stop this is by sticking to the agreed framework & the UNSG’s advice on the way forward.
>> While the government accuses AKEL of serving Turkish positions, it is Anastasiades’ inconsistency that facilitates Turkey to constantly slip away from its responsibilities.
>> The lack of progress after talks in Crans-Montana, has allowed Turkey to escalate her aggression, violate the Cypriot threaten with faits accomplis in Famagusta while Cyprus does not seem capable of reacting effectively.
>> Anastasiades’ lack of stability and Christodoulides’ amateurism raise a lot of questions while the international community does not react effectively but is rather looking to find consensual solutions with her.
>> Expresses concern that while the government entrapped Cyprus in dilemmas & and impasses, it does not seem to be worried by the zero results of the policies it follows.
>> Nicosia manages to isolate herself during the latest FAC & failed to convince even Greece on the need for strict sanctions on Turkey.
>> Cyprus needs to utilise the sanctions but also pursues a policy which will de-escalate tensions in the East Med & pave the way dialogue & resumption of the Cyprob talks from where they left off in Crans-Montana based on the Guterres Framework and the convergences achieved.
GCs & TCs support opposing sides in Nagorno-Karabakh hostilities
Cyprus Mail, Phileleftheros
Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Cyprus Mail reports that House President Demetris Syllouris said on Monday he would speak on the phone on Tuesday with the President of the National Assembly of Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan, over the escalation of tensions in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Syllouris expressed his solidarity with the Armenian people and condemned the violation of the ceasefire by Azerbaijan backed by Turkey.
He expressed support for every action that will contribute to the de-escalation of the conflict and help the peace process in the region, he said in a written statement said.
He added that the intervention of third parties does not help the situation but rather further increases the tension and undermines the stability and security of the region.
Phileleftheros reports that the GC side supports Armenia and the TC side Azerbaijan based on their political and religious positions.
The daily reports that as it was well expected, the GCs, following their long-standing relationship with Armenia, chose to be by the Armenians’ side while in the occupied areas, Turkey’s stance left them with no choice and everyone is rushing to side with the Azeris.
The paper also reported that GC parties DISY, EDEK, the Solidarity Movement and ELAM expressed their solidarity with the people of Armenia and condemned Azerbaijan’s violation of the ceasefire.
It also reports that in the occupied areas, TC leader Mustafa Akinci, and ‘prime minister’ Ersin Tatar condemned the attacks by Armenia on their brothers in Azerbaijan.