Front Page Headlines
They are turning the key… they are changing everything
The president will be briefed today, Cabinet will decide on Thursday. A lockdown is considered even along the same line as measures taken last spring. The duration is under discussion but it will not be less than two weeks. The reference hospital reached its full capacity yesterday while 185 people are in hospital, 45 of whom are in critical condition. Two deaths and 665 new cases yesterday. The presence of the new variant in the community has been confirmed. It has been detected in one of 25 samples tested. Fears of rapid increase of the cases with the new virus.
- Cyprus problem: Lute starts contacts on Monday
- Cyprus-US: CYCLOPS becomes a controversial issue again
They are mulling over a less painful lockdown
Back to the SMS for movement, schools will close, blurry situation as regards retail. They are looking into various scenarios. Scientists and ministers today at the Presidential Palace.
- Powerful card by China at the Security Council – Important visit by the Chinese FM.
- (Former Greek FM) Kotzias: AKEL’s general secretary had asked for my removal
- Fortification of RoC-US relations
- Handcuffs on a Syrian suspected of terrorism
Insufficient checks while corruption is rampant
(Auditor-general) Odysseas Michaelides went to the Presidential Palace yesterday to hand over to President Anastasiades the annual report of the Audit Office but found a cold climate. In his report, he refers to ‘rampant corruption and obstruction of checks’ and complains that fundamental principles governing the independence of the Audit Office are questioned.
- Cyprus’ attachment to the US chariot
- Possible criminal offences in the (naturalisation) file of the Saudi friend of Anastasiades who now keeps mum
- Ineffective management, the virus is everywhere, hospitals are filling up
New virus variant detected in Cyprus
Tests reveal new variant in the community as harsh lockdown edges ever closer.
- Phase two of vaccinations to start on Friday
Crucial two days!
For the management of coronavirus that has spread all over Cyprus. All measures are on the table, either a lockdown or tightening of the measures. The president will be briefed today by the epidemiologists while Cabinet will make the decisions on Thursday. By summer, 50 per cent of the population will be vaccinated.
- Arrest of another suspected terrorist in Moniatis village
- Poll: The Turks question Erdogan
Main News
Lute to launch second round of contacts next week
Politis, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process, CBMs
OVERVIEW
Politis reports that the UN Secretary-General’s special envoy Jane Holl Lute will return to Cyprus on Sunday for meetings with the two leaders on Monday.
In the meantime, President Nicos Anastasiades has sent Antonio Guterres a letter with suggestions on confidence-building measures (CBMs).
According to the paper, Lute will hold contacts on Monday with Anastasiades and TC leader Ersin Tatar with the aim of finalising the details for the informal five plus one summit, expected to take place in the second half of February. The UN seeks nothing more than to find through this preparation common ground at procedural level even for the next step after the informal meeting. It is clear to both the UN and the sides that the informal meeting cannot move the procedure to a formal final conference on Cyprus. The aim is to pave the way for a transitional phase that will mediate from the informal to the formal conference, the paper reported.
The daily also reports that, in a bid to prove he is implementing Guterres’ request for the two sides to take moves that would improve the climate between them, Anastasiades stresses in his letter to the UNSG his readiness to take bold CBMs that will pave the way forward. The suggestions concern CBMs submitted in the past but also new ones.
Any discussion on CBMs, however, must not be expected until after the informal summit, Politis reported.
The daily adds that the TC side has already reacted negatively to reports that one of the CBMs concerns the issue of Varosha and direct flights from Tymbou airport under UN supervision, with the ‘foreign minister’ stating that they would not agree to such a proposal.
If all goes smoothly and both sides show the necessary political will, everything should be completed by December 2022, since after that, the GC side will enter a presidential election period. It is however a difficult task considering the gap in the positions and aspirations on both sides, Politis reports.
Phileleftheros reports on statements by opposition parties on the Cyprus problem and recent statements by the two leaders on the form of the solution.
The Citizens Alliance called on Anastasiades to convene the National Council to discuss developments and the GC side’s next steps. The party said Tatar was clear that the Turkish side wants a two-state solution, while it expressed hope that the GC side would not make new concessions as a sign of goodwill because such a thing would mean new gains for the Turkish side.
It added that the GC side was being dragged to a summit where Ankara would be allowed to put a two-state solution and a confederation on to the table with the UN’s blessings.
Far-right ELAM said the Turkish side’s position was the result of tolerance, constant concessions, a policy of appeasement and the fact that Turkey pays no price for its expansionist policy. This is another Turkish trick to seal a settlement that will make them the masters of the entire territory of Cyprus, the party said.
The Solidarity Movement said that the bizonal bicommunal federation (BBF) and a two-state solution would bring the same result and that is why it has been against both. The party said that the GC side, with the constant concessions it has been making has turned the BBF into the worst form of partition. The party said the president and ruling DISY and main opposition AKEL are making fools of themselves, competing as to who will bring about faster the final partition of the island.
KEY ACTORS
Citizens Alliance
>> Calls on GC side not make any more concessions on talks since this would mean giving the Turkish side further gains.
>> Holding an informal summit gives Ankara the chance to table a two-state solution with the UN’s blessings.
ELAM
>> GC side’s handling of Cyprob has emboldened Turkey which is after a solution that will allow it to control the entire island.
Solidarity Movement
>> GC concessions have turned the sought-after BBF solution into the worst form of partition.
>> Both government with ruling DISY & AKEL are bickering over who will achieve faster the island’s final partition.
RoC, US strengthen cooperation with CYCLOPS training facility
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
External Security, Regional/International Relations
The papers repot that acting Secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security Chad Wolf and Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides laid the foundations at a ground-breaking ceremony for the Cyprus Centre for Land, Open-Seas and Port Security (CYCLOPS) training facility in Larnaca.
The CYCLOPS facilities’ construction, estimated at US$5 million to be paid by the US, will also provide equipment, trainers, and other capacity-building support, while the Republic of Cyprus will contribute land, facilitate travel, and provide trainers. Construction is expected to begin in February.
Wolf, who arrived in Cyprus on Monday, said after the ceremony, CYCLOPS will provide training to regional partners, including on securing borders, customs and export controls, port safety and sea transport, and cyber security.
He added that CYCLOPS was just one important result of US engagement in the East Mediterranean and the strong ties between the US and Cyprus.
Such training platforms are useful hubs, he said, noting that he had seen the same model in operation in Central America where such a facility has been in operation for more than a decade.
Christodoulides said CYCLOPS will serve Cyprus and the broader region and was the tangible result of the deepening bilateral security cooperation between the countries.
“Today we are entering the final phase of the implementation of this innovative project, for which discussions started soon after the signing of the Statement of Intent on Security Cooperation between our two governments, in the fall of 2018,” the minister said.
These discussions culminated in the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of CYCLOPS with US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, during his visit to Cyprus in September. Plans were drawn up swiftly after that, whilst at the same time the process was completed to secure the land.
He added that if everything goes well, the premises will be completed within the year.
In time, there are hopes that CYCLOPS will develop into a hub of activity at a domestic, regional and international level, he said, adding they are looking into the growing field of countering hybrid threats, as well as revisiting the countering-radicalisation programmes that have been developed as part of the Aqaba Process. Already, a few countries have informally indicated an interest in such cooperation, Christodoulides said.
On Tuesday, Wolf will visit the foreign ministry in Nicosia, where he will have a private meeting with Christodoulides followed by consultations between the delegations of the two countries to review bilateral cooperation in several areas, such as the next steps as regards Cyprus’ inclusion in the US Visa Waiver Programme, as well as matters which have to do with the two countries’ cooperation on a bilateral and regional level with a view to strengthening security.
Christodoulides and Wolf will then sign a Declaration of Intent for cooperation on border security.
Wolf will also hold a joint meeting with the interior and justice ministers, Nicos Nouris and Emily Yiolitis, to discuss issues relating to managing external borders, migration and security.
Politis and Haravgi also report that this project has stirred reactions by main opposition AKEL.
The party said that CYCLOPS was a new step for Cyprus’ attachment to the US chariot.
AKEL stressed that as part of this programme the US has said it will address the actions of ‘malicious regional actors’ in the Eastern Mediterranean region, including Russia, according to US assessments of regional interests. At the same time the US does not asses Turkey as such since she is its valuable NATO ally, the party said.
The party wondered what interests Cyprus has by allowing itself to be sucked into US plans against other states with which the Republic of Cyprus has had and wants to have excellent relations, the dailies report.
KEY ACTORS
Wolf (US)
>> CYCLOPS is one of the important results of US engagement in the East Med & the strong ties between the US and Cyprus.
Christodoulides
>> CYCLOPS is tangible result of deepening bilateral security cooperation between US & Cyprus.
AKEL
>> CYCLOPS is a further step for Cyprus’ attachment to the US chariot & part of the US policy aimed at shunning Russia from the East Med.
>> Though the US classed Russia as a malicious regional actor in the East Med, it did not do the same for its NATO ally Turkey.
>> Asks what interests Cyprus has by being sucked into US plans against other states with which the RoC seeks to maintain excellent relations.
Christodoulides discusses Cyprob with Chinese counterpart
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Regional/International Relations, Negotiations Process
The dailies report that Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides discussed bilateral relations and the Cyprus problem with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.
The two ministers met at Larnaca airport where Wang Yi made a stop on his way to Africa.
Christodoulides said after the meeting that he had the opportunity to discuss with his Chinese counterpart bilateral relations, pointing out that this year marks 50 years of bilateral relations between the two countries. He said that the Chinese minister extended an invitation to him to visit China.
They also discussed the Cyprus problem as China is a permanent member of the UN Security Council whose role was crucial especially in the current situation, with Turkey’s provocations either in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone or in the fenced area of Famagusta and at a time when the efforts of the UN Secretary-General is underway for the resumption of talks on the Cyprus issue, Christodoulides said.
In this context, Christodoulides said, “there was an exchange of views, in particular in view of the discussion that will take place in the Security Council for the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force, but also the necessary messages that must be sent among other things, in relation to the goal pursued, which cannot go beyond the agreed solution framework of the bizonal, bicommunal federation.”
Phileleftheros, citing sources, reports that Christodoulides is expected to visit China at the beginning of summer.
The daily also reports that Nicosia will use the powerful card that is China within the UN Security Council during the upcoming discussions concerning the Cyprus problem such as the renewal of UNFICYP’s mandate, the issue of Famagusta and other issues. Yesterday’s meeting gave Nicosia the opportunity to explain its positions on developments in the Cyprus problem in a bid to make use once more of Beijing’s standing support during the discussion on UNFICYP but also the Cyprus issue in general at the Security Council, the daily reported.
KEY ACTORS
Christodoulides
>> China as a P5 member plays a crucial role on Cyprob issues, especially now with Turkey’s provocations in Cyprus’ EEZ & Varosha and when efforts underway to resume talks.
>> UN Security Council must make clear Cyprob solution cannot be outside BBF framework.
Kotzias: ‘AKEL leader had asked for my removal from FM post‘
Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process, Regional/International Relations
The paper reports that former Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias has revealed in his latest book
that AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou had asked for his removal from his post back in 2017.
According to the paper, in his recently published book I Logiki tis Lysis (The Logic of the Solution), in which he also refers to the Cyprus problem and his role in the last round of talks for the solution of the Cyprus problem, Kotzias wrote that ‘every new negotiation starts from a worse point than before ’. He added that this course was reversed in Crans-Montana, because there, Greek diplomacy managed to impose as a central point the recognition of the position that Cyprus should become a normal state, and that the two Treaties that accompanied the Zurich Agreement, that of ‘Alliance’ and ‘Guarantees’ should be abolished. Kotzias also said that positions that had been adopted by the UN Secretary-General himself were promoted by Greek diplomacy not only against Turkish extremism and British behaviour, but also against part of Greece’s then ruling party SYRIZA, and the perception that had long been part of the Cypriot government and AKEL.
The former foreign minister and current leader of the ‘Pratto’ movement also acted on what he had announced last October in an interview with CyBC by revealing which Cypriot party leader had asked for his removal, the daily reports. It added that in the footnote of the above report, Kotzias wrote: “The first to realise the value of the new Greek strategy on the Cyprus issue, apart of course from A. Tsipras, was K. Karamanlis and later the then President of the Republic, Prokopis Pavlopoulos. The negotiations in Geneva were not over in January 2017. I had gone to Paris the same day (for the International Conference on the Middle East and the Palestinian Territories) and the next day to Brussels (for the Council of Foreign Ministers) and A. Kyprianou, General Secretary of AKEL (who behaved on the issue as if he were co-governor of Greece), accompanied by G. Katrougalos, raised an issue with Tsipras, according to the information of the time, for my removal from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
Remand for suspected terrorist
Alithia, Phileleftheros
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that a 24-year-old man from Syria was remanded on Monday for eight days on suspicion of being involved in terrorist activities.
The man was arrested in Moniatis village in the Limassol district on Sunday and was taken to court on Monday, after sending information through Facebook on issues concerning recruitment to a person living in the Netherlands.
According to Phileleftheros, the police anti-terrorism unit was alerted by the FBI that the suspect was exchanging information through social media with other persons on terrorism issues. He reportedly mentioned during his online conversations, he could use anti-tank weapons. This discussion did not concern Cyprus, the daily reported.
Alithia reports that other people suspected of terrorism have been arrested in the past and are in custody at the Menoyia detention centre. Some of them have been detained for years, promoting the Supreme Court to rule the release of those for which there is only information but not evidence about their involvement in such activities, the paper reports.