Front Page Headlines
Varosha too in the ‘elections’ poll
The Erdogan-Tatar move stirs reactions and torpedoes developments on the Cyprus problem. Akinci speaks of Ankara’s glaring intervention to the ‘election’ process. Ozersay too is furious who broke his cooperation with Tatar and leaves the ‘government’. The National Council, in a joint announcement, confirm its commitment of the Republic of Cyprus to dialogue on the Cyprus issue while at the same time addressed the UN Security Council on the issue of Famagusta.
- (Paphos mayor Phedonos) Phedonas-(DISY MP Costas) Constantinou: Heated Paphian squabble in parliament (on the management of TC properties)
- ELAM: It jumped off the Golden Dawn’s sinking ship
He started from the beach
First step to the implementation of the new faits accomplis in Varosha. The mobilisation did not stop Erdogan. Cyprus protests anew to the Security Council.
- Turkey’s progress report is damning
- No parade for the October 28 anniversary this year either
- Solidarity is obligatory for all in the migration crisis – Interview of the EU Commissioner for Migration with Phileleftheros. Countries in the first line of the problem like Cyprus need to be strengthened. They are seeking a solution for the return of migrants from Cyprus to Turkey. Pre-entry screening at the external borders is being promoted.
Return to dialogue to prevent faits accomplis
The UN Secretary-General, in his reaction on the Turkish move in Varosha, calls for avoidance of any unilateral actions that could trigger tensions and undermine the return to dialogue. National Council strongly condemned the Turkish moves for the opening tomorrow of the closed-off town of Varosha’s coastal front. Protest to the Security Council and lifting of the decision and readiness for dialogue.
- Reactions by TCs to Erdogan’s and Tatar’s games
Varosha beach to ‘open Thursday’
Move condemned by government, EU, UN and Turkish Cypriot politicians.
- Cyprus, Lebanon to step up moves against illegal migrants
Famagusta: Erdogan’s election campaign gift to Tatar
Rapid, negative developments. The Turks, during a fiesta, announced the opening of Varosha’s coastal front just before the ‘elections’ in the occupied areas. Election fiesta also for the transfer of water to the occupied areas. Government: This provocative and illegal action on the part of Turkey and of its henchmen in Cyprus will be reported to all international fora. Akinci: What is happening in Varosha just before the elections is a wrong move that puts the TCs in a tough spot. Guterres: Avoid any unilateral actions that could trigger tensions. The two parties should engage in dialogue.
- Parliament: Controversy over TC properties in Paphos
- Mitsotakis: We are waiting Turkey to set a date on the start of the talks
- Bashar al-Assad: Tayyip Erdogan is the main instigator of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
Main News
Nicosia condemns Turkey’s move on Varosha, seeks UN, EU involvement
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Territory, Negotiations Process, Property, External Security, EU Matters, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
The announcement by TC ‘prime-minister’ Ersin Tatar of the opening of the Varosha coastal front on Thursday just days before the elections in the north is the main item in all dailies on Wednesday.
The government said it would protest this move to all international fora while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concerns and made a call against any unilateral actions that could trigger tensions on the island.
According to the dailies, President Nicos Anastasiades, who has presided over a scheduled meeting of the National Council while the Varosha developments were unravelling, said Turkey’s decision regarding Famagusta was “completely unacceptable.”
Anastasiades said that the announcement of the National Council expressed everybody’s position for the condemnation of all the unacceptable decisions made by Turkey.
The National Council said in a joint communique it focused mainly on Turkey’s illegal action with regard to the beachfront of the fenced city of Varosha.
It also condemned in the strongest way Turkey’s actions which violate the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and in particular UN resolutions 550 (1984) and 789 (1992) and called on Turkey to revoke and comply with the above resolutions.
It also reiterated “the readiness by the Greek Cypriot side to participate in a productive dialogue for the solution of the Cyprus problem, away from threats and fait accomplis, on the basis of the framework set out by the relevant UN resolutions, the decisions of the Security Council and the principles and values of the EU, of which the Republic of Cyprus is and will remain a member.”
The government too, in a statement, condemned in the strongest terms “the decision of the occupier, Turkey, and of its henchman in the occupied areas, Ersin Tatar, to extend the license for entry to the coastal front of Varosha, during a pre-election fiesta they held in Ankara, in the eve of the electoral process for the emergence of a new Turkish Cypriot leader.” It said it would protest over this provocative and illegal action on the part of Turkey and of its henchmen in Cyprus to the UN Security Council, the EU and all international fora as an act that violates international law and UN Security Council resolutions and contravenes the latest European Council conclusions.
Guterres too, said in a statement that he
was concerned by the announcement on the opening of the beach/coastline of
Varosha. He recalled that the UN position on Varosha remains unchanged and is
guided by relevant Security Council resolutions.
He also stressed the need to avoid any unilateral actions that could trigger
tensions on the island and undermine the return to dialogue or the future
success of talks. He called on all parties to engage in dialogue in order to
resolve their differences and reiterated his readiness to bring the parties
together.
EU High Representative on foreign policy
Josep Borrell, too said that the EU was deeply concerned about Tuesday’s announcements
and developments related to Varosha and that the EU will be in close
contact with the UN and will be following closely the situation on the ground.
Borrell said this would cause greater tensions and may complicate efforts for
the resumption of Cyprus settlement talks. “What is urgent now is to
rebuild trust and not to create greater divisions”, he said.
The EU, he said, will continue to support such efforts, as stressed by the Heads of State and Government in the European Council conclusions on October1-2.
The dailies, that interpreted this as an election ploy to boost Tatar’s popularity, report that the government was aware such a move was imminent and had already made representations to the UN, EU and especially Germany which currently holds the bloc’s presidency.
According to Alithia, Phileleftheros and Politis, the government had exerted great effort to avert this development with Anastasiades speaking with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Guterres and European Council President Charles Michel. Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides had a telephone contact with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov since Russia now chairs the Security Council.
Alithia reports that Erdogan told Guterres that the planned announcement on Varosha did not violate UN resolutions. Sources told the daily that Guterres got offended by the way Erdogan reacted to his intervention.
According to Phileleftheros, Merkel, following her telephone conversation earlier this week with Anastasiades, took it upon her to speak with Erdogan calling on him to avoid actions like the one on Famagusta. Merkel and Erdogan spoke also on Tuesday evening. Berlin said in a statement that Merkel stressed the need for easing tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The daily also reports that Guterres and the five permanent members of the Security Council had called on the Turkish government to avoid any moves on Famagusta but to no avail.
Alithia also reports that many refugees from Famagusta were in shock while mayor Simos Ioannou said the municipal council would hold an extraordinary meeting on Thursday.
Phileleftheros reported that this new provocation is not just an ‘election firework’ aimed at boosting Tatar but also Ankara’s first step in creating new faits accomplis that go beyond a coastal strip spanning a kilometre and a half. It seems Ankara has taken the first step towards opening the fenced area of Varosha, it reported.
The dailies also report on reactions by TC leader Mustafa Akinci and the other election candidates and that Kudret Ozersay announced his party was leaving the ‘government coalition’.
Alithia, in another article, reports that Michel on Tuesday, prior to the announcement on Varosha, citing conflicts and overlapping challenges across the Eastern Mediterranean said he has called for a Multilateral Conference to address issues that need multilateral solutions: maritime delimitation, security, energy, migration and economic cooperation.
KEY ACTPORS
Anastasiades
>> Turkey’s decision to open the Varosha coastal front is completely unacceptable.
National Council
>> Condemns in the strongest way Turkey’s actions which violate the relevant UNSC resolutions, and & calls on Turkey to revoke its decision and comply with the resolutions.
>> The GC side remains ready to participate in a productive dialogue for the Cyprob solution away from threats & faits accomplis & based on UN resolutions and decisions and EU principles and values.
RoC
>> Strongly condemns the decision of occupier Turkey & its henchman in the north Tatar to allow entry to Varosha’s coastal front on the eve of elections in the north.
>> Will protest over this provocative and illegal action to the UN, EU & all international fora as an act that violates international law, UNSC resolutions and contravenes the latest EUCO conclusions.
Guterres (UNSG)
>> Concerned by the intention to open Varosha’s coastline & stresses need to avoid any unilateral actions that could trigger tensions on the island and undermine the return to dialogue or the future success of talks.
>> Calls on all parties to engage in dialogue to resolve their differences. He is ready to bring the parties together.
>> The UN position on Varosha that is guided by relevant SC resolutions remains unchanged.
Borrell (EU)
>> The EU is deeply concerned, will be in close contact with the UN & will be following closely the situation on the ground.
>> Opening Varosha will cause greater tensions & may complicate efforts for the resumption of Cyprus settlement talks.
>> This is the time to rebuild trust & not greater divisions, an effort the EU will continue to support as per the EUCO’s latest conclusions.
EU accession report records Turkey’s violations in Cyprus’ EEZ
Haravgi, Phileleftheros
EU Matters, Energy
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that Turkey’s EU accession report references Turkish violations towards Cyprus and Greece and points out that Turkey’s foreign policy increasingly collides with the EU priorities.
The report was adopted by the College of Commissioners along with those concerning all candidate countries and was presented to the European Parliament’ s Foreign Affairs Committee by enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi.
The report records the tensions caused by Turkey in the Cypriot exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the illegal drilling, notes the announcements on Famagusta, records the actions against Greece and the invalid character of the Turkish-Libyan memorandum.
The Commission states that Turkey’s foreign policy increasingly collided with the EU priorities under the Common Foreign and Security Policy. It added that tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean region further increased in the reporting period because of Turkey’s illegal actions and provocative statements challenging the right of the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) to exploit hydrocarbon resources in its EEZ.
It said that Turkey deployed two drilling and two seismic vessels in the RoC’s EEZ including in the areas that have been licensed by the government of Cyprus to European oil and gas companies, as well as in Cypriot territorial sea. The Turkish Armed Forces accompanied the drilling and seismic ships during their operations, posing a grave threat to the security of the region. Turkey also challenged the status of the fenced-off city of Varosha, it said.
The Commission recalls that the EU has repeatedly stressed the need to respect the sovereign rights of EU member-states, which include entering into bilateral agreements and exploring and exploiting their natural resources in accordance with the EU acquis and international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. It said Turkey needs to commit itself unequivocally to good neighbourly relations, international agreements and the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the United Nations Charter, having recourse, if necessary, to the International Court of Justice.
The Commission also notes the latest announcement by the European Council that, provided constructive efforts to stop illegal activities vis-à-vis Greece and Cyprus are sustained, it would launch a positive political EU-Turkey agenda with a specific emphasis on the modernisation of the Customs Union and trade facilitation, people to people contacts, high-level dialogues, continued cooperation on migration issues, in line with the 2016 EU-Turkey Statement. The European Council also stressed that in case of renewed unilateral actions or provocations in breach of international law, the EU will use all the instruments and the options at its disposal, in order to defend its interests and those of its member states.
On the bilateral Memorandum of Understanding on the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas between Turkey and the National Accord Government of Libya in November 2019, the Commission said it increased tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, as it ignored the sovereign rights of Greece’s islands in the area concerned.
The Commission also noted that in the area of migration and asylum policy, Turkey made some progress. Throughout 2019, it said, Turkey was committed to the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement of March 2016 and played a key role in ensuring effective management of migratory flows along the Eastern Mediterranean route”. However, in March 2020, Turkey actively encouraged migrants and refugees to take the land route to Europe through Greece which led to the set-up of an informal camp at one of the Greek-Turkish border crossing points in Pazarkule, hosting close to 60,000 migrants and refugees in dire conditions, it said.
Phileleftheros reports that this progress report is damning for Ankara.
EU’s ‘New Pact’ ensures fairer distribution of migrants, Commissioner says
Phileleftheros
EU Matters, Migration & Citizenship
OVERVIEW
The daily hosts an interview with European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson in which the EU official explains the EU’s New Pact on Migration and Asylum.
The Commissioner said that there should be a fairer distribution of the burden of immigration and that countries at the forefront of the problem such as Cyprus need to be strengthened.
She explained that pre-entry screening is introduced as well as an obligatory element ensuring that all states will offer solidarity in various ways based on their population and economic power.
On Turkey’s refusal to take in migrants returned from Cyprus since it does not recognise the RoC, Johansson said solutions are being sought.
She said perhaps the returns could be made through another member state. The Commissioner said another member state will be responsible for transporting the migrants who are in Cyprus under an agreement and at the same time will be responsible for the negotiations with the country of origin so that it can be ensured that these people will go back to their homelands.
Paphos mayor defends actions on TC properties
Alithia, Haravgi, Politis
Property, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
According to the papers, Paphos mayor Phedon Phedonos found himself under fire on Tuesday during the House refugees committee meeting over TC properties.
He was accused of unilateral interventions in TC properties leased to refugees such as repossessions or demolitions, many times without the green light by the municipal council.
During the discussion it emerged that Phedonos is using legal gaps in the law on municipalities that allow him to bypass the law on the Guardian of TC properties which allows the interior ministry to temporarily manage these properties.
Phedonos defended his actions arguing that many hold such properties irregularly and react when they lose their privileges to cover for their illegal actions.
He also said that 70 per cent of the city centre is TC properties and that the municipality needs to lease many of these plots for the redevelopment of the city that concerns projects co-financed by the EU. He said he would not back down, arguing that the town cannot jumpstart its economy without a city centre.
“For better or worse, our city centre is TC properties,” he was quoted saying by Alithia.
The mayor said his municipality was making a huge effort to lift the irregularities observed, pointing out that scores of Paphos residents, furnishing fake contracts, have been using TC shops whereas refugees with contacts in high places were found to hold three or four shops.
Phedonos said he uncovered these irregularities and now he is under attack because of it.
He also said that non-refugees hold TC houses and accused the committee of turning a blind eye to the existence of shell companies that use TC properties worth millions.
Politis reports that among the scandals Phedonos referred to, is the lease back in 1974
of a large area of TC properties that today covers Kennedy Square in Paphos, by Stasinos Investments, a company whose some of its shareholders were former government ministers.
He said the company leased that land on June 14, 1974 and just a day before the coup, on July 14, it filed an application to the municipality for a building permit. The mayor said that, at the time, it took six months to apply for a building permit, but in this case, it was submitted in 28 days. According to the mayor, the serial number of the application is nowhere to be found. He added that at the place where the cypress trees are today in that area, TCs are buried.
Two men sought for assault believed to have fled to north
Phileleftheros
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
The paper reports that a Kurdish man was hit on the head with a pistol earlier this week by two other men, believed to be from Turkey.
The incident took place two days ago in a very busy area near the Phaneromeni school in the old part of Nicosia. The victim claimed the two men, believed to be Turks, attacked him with one of them drawing a pistol and hitting him on the head.
They then fled on foot. The Kurdish man was taken in hospital where he had his wounds treated and discharged.
Police are looking for their whereabouts and it is believed they crossed to the occupied areas.
The altercation probably concerned personal differences, the daily reported citing information.