Front Page Headlines
Storing vaccine a big challenge
Minus 70C for Pfizer vaccine, existing medical fridges not up to the task, new ones on the way.
- Cyprus talks: What to expect from a Biden presidency
- The Cuba Libre Story, lessons for Cyprus (comment)
That is how they want to conceal partition
How sovereign equality paves the way for the five-party summit. Political equality through sovereign equality and how it can be implemented through the body of work of the negotiations, the rotating presidency, and the hidden and overt vetoes. The bland and neutral Lute listened to the confederate positions but fell silent. The Turks consider the loose federation close to their positions. Why the solution passes through Famagusta.
- Moves Nicosia may make at the European Council
- Britain: The secret meeting… on the line on the five-party summit (comment)
- Lessons from Artsakh and Turkey’s war tactics
- Narrations: Why ‘special policeman’ IDs were given to volunteers in 1963-64
- Savvas Iacovides: New strategy for rescuing Cypriot Hellenism so that Cyprus is not Turkified (comment)
- Christodoulos Yiallourides: Cyprus problem, international dilemmas & European demands (comment)
- Loria Markides: In anticipation of the European Council (comment)
- Andreas D. Symeou: ‘Every man for himself’, that is the message to Varosha refugees (comment)
- Petros Th. Pantelides: We need an assertive not concession-minded president (comment)
Response to the European Commission on the suspect passports
Cyprus will justify its citizenship policy on December 12. The process is currently underway at the state Law Office which compiles the response in collaboration with an international company that specializes in these matters. The Republic of Cyprus will argue it has not violated the EU Treaty and that the granting of citizenship is a sovereign right. The Commission succeeded in its political goal since Cyprus announced the termination of its investment programme.
- Spherically: The Cyprus problem wants boldness and charm (comment)
- Reunification movement: Great people, but the partition is freezing them
- Nikos Christodoulides holds two posts – Legal battle over the post at the University of Cyprus
Plan B with UN stamp
Ankara seeks an impasse at the five-party summit and a change to the form of the solution. English tabletop exercises with the Bases as background.
- He tried to pass a two-state solution through the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation – Preventing Erdogan’s scheming
- Antonio Guterres and the red lines (comment)
Georghadji scattered €6bn of the Laiki creditors
The black holes of the Resolution Authority that suck people’s fortunes.
- Five-party: A two-state solution as a bluff or existing scenario
- Ergun Olgun: Two sovereign and internationally equal states on the island
- Brussels: A heavy agenda for the European Council
- (Kyriacos Mitsotakis) With a targeted EU embargo (on Turkey) – A stop to the T-214 submarines.
- US: Sanctions on Turkey
A five-party summit of substance and not of procedural nature
The informal conference on the Cyprus issue will be of substance and not procedural, Ioannis Kasoulides, Erato Kozakou Markoullis and Toumazos Tselepis stress to Haravgi. In fact, Tselepis notes that in order for there to be a chance of success, the GC side must be clear and convincing that it seeks a bizonal bicommunal federal solution with political equality, continuing from where we left off in Crans-Montana with the convergences, the Joint Declaration, the Framework of the UN Secretary-General.
- Politics: Τhe future of the TCs is inextricably connected with the Cyprus problem
- International: Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s sudden love for the West
- There have been concessions on the property issue that address the TCs’ concerns
Crucial week – the measures are made clearer
Today’s picture is a bad one, states Maria Koliou. Two deaths and a record of cases: 369 PCR and 181 rapid tests. Twelve people are intubated. Decision on new measures at the end of the week. A full lockdown is not ruled out if there is great increase in cases-patients.
- Great backstage over sanctions – Initiative by France for a joint proposal with Germany. Which countries support Cyprus-Greece and which ones discuss scenarios for prevention of sanctions against Turkey. Erdogan continues provocations with a new Navtex.
- The ‘sultan’s’ secret weapons: Why Merkel fears Erdogan?
- The final phase of the Medusa (exercise) was impressive – Messages to Turkey.
- Article-Intervention by Christos Panayiotides: To appeal or not to the (immovable property) commission in the occupied areas
- Uproar in Turkey: Erdogan’s sons are draft dodgers
Main News
‘Impasse at five-party summit helps Ankara sell its own solution idea’
Alithia, Kathimerini, Politis, Phileleftheros, Simerini, Sunday Mail
Negotiations Process, EU Matters, Governance & Power Sharing, Regional/International Relations, External Security
Sunday’s papers host a number of articles and analyses on the Cyprus problem and the upcoming European Council (EUCO) this week which will also discuss relations with Turkey.
According to some papers, it is unlikely that the EU leaders will agree to sanctions on Turkey.
Simerini, in its main item on how the path to the island’s partition is being paved, cites diplomatic sources saying that through a solution based on two states and separate sovereignty, the TC side wants to ensure TCs are not under the domination of the GCs at any constitutional level.
It adds that the Turkish position has put special envoy Jane Holl Lute in a difficult position because the President of the Republic may have withdrawn from the red lines he had set for his participation in the five-party summit (withdrawal of both the Barbaros and the Turkish fleet from the Cypriot EEZ) but as he pointed out to Lute, ideas that are not in line with the Security Council’s mandate cannot be put on the table.
The daily adds that Lute took a neutral stance and in essence, she was not the representative of the UN law and Charter, but the representative of Mr. Guterres as mediator. Therefore, she was bland and simply listened to and recorded the positions of the two sides, which state that they are ready to participate in an informal five-party summit but with different starting points, goals and interpretations.
The paper argues that the Turkish side now formally blackmails the government and the UN that if they want a solution, it will include sovereign equality in the context of political equality. This means that, in addition to the residue of power and the production of primary law by the TC constituent state, the principle of numerical equality must be adopted and put into practice mainly at the level of executive power but also other powers, such as the legislature and the executive, it said.
It is clear that the Turkish side, even if it does not explicitly put the two states and the confederation on the negotiating table, will seek to achieve its goals through political equality and sovereign equality, in practice to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt what has already been accepted as a given in previous rounds of talks and especially in Crans-Montana.
The paper also reports that Turkey wants to document through the new round of talks, political equality and sovereign equality through the new constitutional structures, namely through numerical equality and the hidden and overt vetoes, starting with the Rotating Presidency. It argues that Rotating Presidency symbolises the division of executive power, the two sources of sovereignty and the two peoples, from which sovereignty originates and coexist in a Central Government. This position is also adopted by the British and has a legal basis, Simerini reports.
Phileleftheros, citing sources, reports that Ankara wants to lead the informal five-party summit to an impasse which would mean an impasse on the talks for the form of solution discussed for years so that it can promote the new form of solution. Turkey is seeking a confederation which will provide the possibility of controlling the entire country. At the same time, Turkey plans new unilateral actions both on land as well as at sea while maintaining the issue of Famagusta in an extortionate manner towards the Greek side. Sources said that Ankara’s next plans are ready and will be implemented regardless of the decision of the European Council on December 10 and 11 in relation to possible sanctions. The same sources noted that if sanctions are imposed, which is a distant possibility, this will be seen as a response to the EU decision. If not, Ankara will not have anything to fear because it will bear no consequences for its actions.
The paper also reports that the UK, as guarantor, is doing its own tabletop exercises and would like a solution model that would not affect the presence of their military bases on the island. They move in the logic of a model between a loose federation and confederation, the daily reported.
The Sunday Mail, in an article on ‘what to expect from a Biden presidency’ sites a Nicosia-based UN source saying that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres would probably feel better placed to try to move things forward once the new US administration has taken over and could lend its support to an initiative. The daily adds, however that it remains to be seen whether it will have any desire to do so bearing in mind the much more pressing issues it will have to deal with after four years of the Donald Trump presidency, during which the US gave up its leading role on the world stage. Both Joe Biden and the man who will take over as Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, have knowledge of the Cyprus problem and the way it affects stability in the Eastern Mediterranean region and Greece-Turkey relations, the paper reports.
In another article, Phileleftheros, citing sources, reports that Turkey attempted during the latest Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting of foreign ministers at the end of November to include text in the resolution on a two-state solution in Cyprus as a first step of international acceptance of the new approach on the Cyprus problem it wants to impose.
Egypt, however, along with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon, stepped in and prevented this from happening.
According to the paper, the Egyptian side, seeing Turkey pushing for the adoption of a new resolution, sent the message that it would block any decision concerning the Cyprus issue. Thanks to the Egyptian reactions it was the first time for many years there has been a discussion on the Cyprus issue in the plenary session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC, the daily said. It added that the debate was intense with verbal confrontations between Turkey and Egypt, especially when the Egyptian side asked the Turkish side to document the status of the so-called Turkish Republic of northern Cyprus, pointing out at the same time that only Turkey recognises it.
On the issue of sanctions by the EU on Turkey, Alithia, citing Greek Mega television reports that a group of member states, under Germany’s guidance are discussing scenarios to prevent sanctions. Their arguments are that the Oruc Reis has returned to Turkey, they cite NATO’s deconfliction mechanism and that the bloc needs to wait and see US president-elect Joe Biden’s stance as regards Turkey, citing coordination between the EU and US. Germany, Italy, Spain and Malta aim to postpone the debate on sanctions for the March EUCO Summit, the daily reported, adding that France, Austria, Slovenia and Slovakia are on the side of Greece and Cyprus.
Citing diplomatic sources, the paper reported that Athens expects some light sanctions as in the case of Cyprus where sanctions on persons and companies were imposed for illegal drilling.
The paper also cites Greek Open TV that reported that France suggested to Germany a joint, compromise proposal at the EU Foreign Affairs Council on Monday.
Kathimerini reports that diplomatic sources in Brussels said that this week’s EUCO will be very difficult due to the many open issues that need to be discussed, not just Turkey but also issues on the budget and Brexit. Sources assess that the next step, given the heavy schedule of the EUCO, could be a strict statement and authorisation of High Representative Josep Borrell to submit in writing targeted codified measures, to send Turkey a message but also give it more time. Though Greece might accept something like that if tensions are further reduced and Turkey gives a start date for the exploratory bilateral talks between them, the Cypriot government will probably find itself in a difficult position at home. It is no coincidence that government rhetoric now is not along the lines of strict measures. Diplomatic sources estimated that Cyprus’ request for additional names on the list of sanctions against individuals and companies drilling in the Cypriot EEZ might be accepted.
The daily, in another article, reports that Greek Prime Minister Kyriacos Mitsotakis will insist at EUCO for an embargo on exports by member states of arms to Turkey that could be used to harm other member states. Athens’ main goal is the German submarines Τ-214, six of which are being constructed for Ankara. Athens has raised the issue on several occasions with Berlin. For Athens, reservations expressed on suspension of big arms exports to Turkey by countries such as Germany and Spain are unjustified, since similar suspensions took place in the past, the paper reported.
Politis published an item on bicommunal groups promoting the reunification of the island in a bid to introduce them to the wider public. They are the people who keep the flame of the reunification of the island burning and the people who are anxious for the future of the country, the daily said. “Those who overcame fear and hatred for the other and sat down for a coffee to listen each other and share their concerns.” The daily hosts Unite Cyprus Now, The Breakfast Club, the Famagusta Our Town Initiative, the Traitors’ Club, Music Unites, and Citizens for Reunification. Representatives from each group talk about their goal, how they came together and determination to carry on their struggle.
‘Two sovereign states with equal international status in line with UN’
Kathimerini
Negotiations process, Property, Territory, External Security, Energy, Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
The daily hosts an interview with the TC leader’s advisor, Ergun Olgun, who will possibly be the new TC negotiator, on the Cyprus problem and the way forward.
Olgun, who has great experience on the Cyprus problem, told the paper that in the context of the two-state solution, the way and the extent of the adaptation of borders, property, security and cooperation can be found, and mainly the issue of the EU can be addressed.
Olgun said TC leader Ersin Tatar believes that the best way to achieve compromise and cooperation with the GC side is two sovereign states with equal international status. This goal can be achieved through negotiations and a timeframe.
Tatar believes such a compromise will come with significant political and economic gain and positive results in the field of security for both sides, he said, adding that the final state of relations between the two communities based on two sovereign states with equal international status will be revealed at the end of the negotiations. “That is why we should not name the proposed cooperation model in advance,” he said, the daily reports.
He also said that the UN’s mission is to ensure sustainable international peace and stability and that the vision the TC side proposes is also in line with UN objectives.
Olgun also said that given that the negotiations so far have not yielded results, it was useful to proceed to an informal five-party conference.
On the issue of natural resources, Olgun said there are two choices: either joint management of the marine areas through a special adjustment or else division, just like in land. He added that this must be arranged by the involved parties at the negotiating table.
Olgun also said that on the issue of Varosha, after repeated proposals by the TC side and the UN on the matter which were rejected by the GCs, the TC side will now put an end to the closed-off status of Varosha and will transform it from a military to an urban area.
The ultimate goal is to find a solution to a humanitarian issue as well as to provide economic benefits to the two peoples and to create an environment in which cooperation can grow, he said.
“We attach great importance to respecting the rights of former owners in the spirit of the relevant UN Security Council decisions,” he said, according to the paper. He added that the applications that will be submitted together with the opening of the closed part of Varosha will pave the way for the Immovable Property Commission which is approved by the European Court of Human Rights, to issue decisions including the decision for return. He argued that the people of Varosha have welcomed the decision on the enclosed city but that the GC side’s opposition to this decision shows that it is in favour of the perpetuation of the existing status.