Front Page Headlines
A rethink over Varosha homes
Erdogan’s visit cements Turkey’s moves on Varosha, prompts refugees into defying govt strategy in talks.
- Tests in all care homes after 198 new cases announced
- COVID-19 hospitals: Hospitals are so far coping better during virus’ second phase
- Comment: Growing crisis within Turkey and its ruling party
- Business: Shake up for energy under Biden
Take a hike, Erdogan
He invades today, for a picnic, Famagusta’s sacred soil. Turkish President commits highest form of hubris against what’s right and against history. An equivalent hubris is being carried out also by Cypriot political leadership, which begs for convening of five-party conference for Cyprus Problem despite Erdogan’s humiliating show. Erdogan uses Famagusta as a tool for blackmail, showing without being provoked his designs for colonisation.
- Fathered by the British, with UNSG acting as best man: Political equality: Tool to marry confederation and federation
- Turkish revisionism: The historical awkwardness of “patriotic realism”
- Five-party meeting: The role of the “useful idiot” and the UN’s responsibility
- (Editorial): Advocates of confederation
- Savvas Iacovides (opinion): Harsh lessons from Karabakh and the saboteurs of our defence
- Andreas Theophanous (opinion): Turkey’s aim to control Cyprus unchanged
- Andreas Drakos (opinion): Refugees wait for a clean solution for Cyprus Problem from President
- Andros G. Karagiannis (opinion): Revitalisation of the dead zone
- Andreas M. Vasiliou (opinion): Mouthpiece of Turkey
Block on development of British Bases
Thousands of G/C owners cannot do anything. Under the pretext of their environmental concerns the British put forward several obstacles to delay implementation of agreement also due to political developments in Cyprus Problem. If Turkey insists on a two-state solution or annexation of the occupied areas, then Republic of Cyprus could raise the issue of the British Bases. If it is not possible to change zoning in an area to allow development, then another area where that is possible will be sought. (UK High Commissioner Stephen Lillie:) “Federal solution”.
- How Cyprus is brought under Turkey’s control?: The Greek Cypriot enclave in the south – The large stalemates, due to the G/C side’s inability to make decisions, bring Cyprus under Turkey’s geostrategic influence. The importance and symbolism of Erdogan’s visit to Varosha. The good, the bad and the ugly Tayip. The mass protest of the T/Cs with Akinci in charge in occupied Nicosia seems to have been only the beginning.
- Auditors/ Accountants: The conspiracy of silence
- 198 cases: The mask, the rapid tests and Pfizer
Fiesta in Famagusta
A “sultan’s” entrance in the region, Turks desperately sought to have G/Cs attend. British thumbprints on five-party meeting being prepared.
- New invasion of Famagusta: They prepare Erdogan’s picnic
- Pressuring situations ahead: Meaningful conference on Cyprus Problem being prepared – January most likely month for informal conference – Agreement and referendums in 2021 and implementation of solution in 2022
- Cyprus Problem, Makarios and A. Papandreou
Erdogan-Tatar aim for sovereign states and guarantees
Loose federation up to confederation on the table and the bet is now on sovereignty.
- Editorial: The third invasion
- Greece: They discuss on American F-35 fighters
- An ecclesiastic Ukrainian “flu”: Balances of power in Holy Synod
- 60 years RoC: If I hadn’t lost (re-election), Varosha would have been ours (Giorgos Vasiliou interview)
- Demetris Hadjihambis – Pavlos Anastasiades (opinion): The importance of political equality
- Leontios Ierodiakonou (opinion): Red lines do not bring a solution
- Anna Marangou (opinion): Yes, a third invasion
- Yiannis Toumazis (opinion): It’s unthinkable…
A hair’s breadth from federation or two states
- Politics: Tatar more of the same, insists on two-state solution
- Cyprus Problem: In a vortex of steps backward and faits accomplis
- “If it was another business there would be arrests” – Slaughterhouses in K. Moni and Ag. Ioannis Malountas closed till further notice – Pancyprian Association of Veterinarians speak of targeted drive against them
- Famagusta, a journey into the city of my soul!
Third Attila today in Famagusta for picnic!
Erdogan coming with entourage of eight ministers.
- Another death, this time of 61-year-old, cases reached 198: Coronavirus on the prowl in care homes – Limassolians went to the streets yesterday complaining of lockdown of their city
- Christos Panagiotides (opinion): The solution was always there, “outside the box”, while we were looking for them “inside the box”
- Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz came out in favour of sanctions against Turkey
Main News
President concerned over speeding up of Cyprob conference
Alithia, Haravgi, Kathimerini, Phileleftheros, Politis, Simerini, Sunday Mail
Negotiations Process, Regional/ International Relations, External Security, Energy, Property, Territory, EU Matters
Phileleftheros reports that an informal meeting between the two sides and the guarantors will move beyond discussing the methodology of a new negotiations process and that a lot will be decided by the positions that will be brought forward by all involved.
Phileleftheros also reports that according to information and statements recently made, a possible timetable for future negotiations would have the informal conference taking place in early 2021, leading to a double referendum in the same year and implementation of the solution in 2022.
The newspaper cites information that during the meeting of President Anastasiades with the party leaders, DISY leader Averof Neophytou said that the Turkish side will not do the G/Cs a favour by abandoning the aim for a federal solution first. Instead, Neophytou said, Turkey is expected to pursue the issue of political equality.
Phileleftheros reports that President Anastasiades disagreed with this approach and insisted that Turkey’s final aim is to control the entire island, which is why it wants political equality and the principle of the need for one positive vote by T/C ministers for federal decisions.
AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou said during the meeting that what the G/C side should do is clarify exactly what it wants, since the international community seems to not know the G/C side’s position.
Kathimerini also reports that President Anastasiades is concerned over the rush for the convening of a conference for the Cyprus Problem, and that he believes this is done so that the EU avoids having to impose sanctions on Turkey.
Diplomatic sources also told Kathimerini that everything points towards a loose federation with one international sovereignty where each side will act autonomously, and which would almost reach the point of looking like a confederation.
The newspaper notes that there are mixed messages coming out of the UN, since some say that UNSG Antonio Guterres will want the sides to confirm that they are ready to accept his 2017 framework before convening an informal conference, while other sources say that the process needs to be sped up.
In an interview with Politis, UK High Commissioner Stephen Lillie said that reaching a federal solution is still possible, ahead of the informal meeting of the two sides and the guarantors. He also pointed out that a federal model is the model that is particularly flexible and can cover what both sides want.
Lillie also noted that no one should rule out the prospect of other solution models in the future if the two sides find no way to reach an agreement based on the federal model.
The High Commissioner also said that political equality is central to the successful solution of the Cyprus Problem, as seen in Security Council resolutions, but that each side has a different reading of the term. He said that the informal meeting will be a prime opportunity for the G/C side to reaffirm its acceptance of political equality in order to convince the T/C side, which remains unconvinced.
Implementation of British Bases development hampered by environment
Politis
Property, Territory, Regional/ International Relations, Economy, Negotiations Process, External Security, Internal Security
OVERVIEW
Politis reports that recent delays in implementing the Non-Military Development (NMD) agreement between the UK and the RoC are caused by disagreements on issues of environmental protection, according to official sources.
However, the newspaper adds, unofficial information from government sources point out that the government is concerned whether these delays are also political in nature, and whether the UK is attempting to delay the implementation of the deal because of political developments.
The same sources note that the government is considering whether the UK is holding back the implementation of the deal until Turkey’s positions on the Cyprus Problem are clear. According to these sources, if Turkey insists on a two-state solution or on annexing the north to Turkey, then the RoC could also raise the issue of the presence of the British Bases.
Politis recalls that according to the bilateral NMD agreement reached in June 2019, RoC citizens living in the Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) will be allowed to develop land that has no military use, according to zoning laws and policies in coordination with the RoC.
According to a different source, the RoC’s Environment Department notified the Foreign Ministry that it is still processing the study on the environmental impact of this development as well as all objections submitted.
The Environment Department was due to meet on October 9th, 2020 with representatives of the SBAs and other government officials and departments, environmental NGOs, municipalities and parties. However, the meeting was postponed for the middle of November.
According to the report, the postponement came about because of disagreements regarding the British environmental impact assessment report.
When asked about the issue by Politis, UK High Commissioner Stephen Lillie said that the NMD gives the opportunity for Cypriot residents of the SBAs to develop their land. However, he added, the UK and the RoC are obliged to carry out proper planning and controls. Developing the SBAs does not mean developing the area without controls and causing damage to the environment.