Front Page Headlines
He threw the ball in the political leaders’ court
Despite his commitment to participate in the summit, the president also asked the parties! President Anastasiades has asked the party leaders to escort him at the informal summit in New York. Some parties expressed their reservations on whether the GC side should attend without setting any conditions. AKEL and DISY state that there is no other alternative and that the president ought to go properly prepared for all scenarios and with proposals that can restrain Ankara’s demands. No agenda has been set for the meeting for now which is expected to be bilateral and start with an informal dinner. The GC side has already set the strategy and approach it will follow.
- Occupied areas: Tatar retracts on the vaccines
- National Guard: They retired a colonel three times
- A. Paraschos’ allegations: A. Tsipras does not confirm them
Difficulties for the final ‘Yes’
The borrowers’ recourse to the court to dispute debt is a thorny issue for the budget (approval). EDEK MP Elias Myrianthous warns he will reject the budget. They postponed the House plenum session to January 21.
- He invited them to go with him to New York
- Anastasiades-Guterres communication: They are rushing to remove thorny issues from the reports
- The federation is dead, Cavusoglu says
- They shut Chlorakas to foreign nationals – A decree bans their settlement there due to alteration of the demographics; 4,000 GCs & 1,300 Syrians live there.
- Pournara incidents over confinement conditions
- Denial from Anastasiades and Tsipras – A political storm of reactions over Paraschos allegations
Initiative by AKEL to ensure salaries and rights
After the government’s decision to put on the back-burner the introduction of the minimum wage, AKEL undertakes an initiative to establish mechanisms to safeguard by law minimum rights for all employees not covered by agreed contracts. Initiatives in collaboration with trade unions and other political parties and organisations inside and outside parliament.
- It is imperative we go there well prepared
- Freedom of press is under threat
Parties invited to ‘crucial’ summit
Opinions on whether president should attend the five-party meeting differ wildly.
Naturalisations: Everything under the sun!
As of next Tuesday! The investigative committee on naturalisations is opening its doors next Tuesday to journalists. Anastasiades and Archbishop Chrysostomos will be called to testify.
- The president wants the party leaders with him at the five-party summit
- Occupied areas: Criticism against Tatar for politicising the vaccines
- Tsipras-Nicolas (Papadopoulos) denials: Anastasiades to Paraschos: Provide evidence of your groundless claims or retract them
Main News
Anastasiades invites party leaders to New York
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
President Nicos Anastasiades invited party leaders to join him in New York where the five-party summit is to take place, the papers report on Friday.
According to the dailies, deputy Government Spokesman Panayiotis Sentonas said after the meeting that Anastasiades suggested the members of the National Council escort him to the five-party summit, as this is a crucial meeting on the Cyprus issue. He added that this would be discussed at a later stage, however, when a date for the conference is set by the UN Secretary-General (UNSG).
Sentonas said the president briefed the members of the National Council on the latest developments, but also on the initiatives he has taken in relation to the Cyprus issue; he briefed them on his meeting with UN special envoy Jane Holl Lute, but also on his telephone conversation with Antonio Guterres on Monday. The president also presented the proposals he forwarded to the UNSG, responding to his call for specific confidence-building measures (CBMs) to assist in the resumption of negotiations.
Most party leaders said after the meeting that Anastasiades should attend the meeting but he ought to make sure he was well prepared to tackle any curveballs Turkey throws at the GC side during the summit.
All party leaders, except head of Solidarity Movement Eleni Theocharous and ELAM, said Anastasiades should go to the meeting.
Ruling DISY leader Averof Neophytou said his party will be joining Anastasiades in New York.
AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou said it was imperative that Anastasiades goes to the summit but he ought to be well prepared to address the issues on which Turkey has been making public statements, so as to remove any pretext while forcing Turkey to either abandon its unacceptable and provocative positions and cooperate or else leave it exposed. He added that Turkey will try to achieve its maximum goals but the GC side has right on its side (the UN resolutions).
DIKO leader Nicolas Papadopoulos said it was important for Anastasiades, before going to the summit, to make sure that the solution framework does not change, despite pressure from Turkey for a two-state solution, while Guterres must make clear who are the parties at this five-party summit. He said if the Republic of Cyprus is invited as a ‘Greek Cypriot community’ this would mean downgrading of the Republic and upgrading of the breakaway regime in the north. Papadopoulos said he was against suggesting any connection between the operation of Tymbou airport and any other action or initiative of the Turkish side.
EDEK leader Marinos Sizopoulos said his party’s concerns only increase when taking into account Turkey’s provocative actions and statements but also references by Guterres in his reports to a ‘Greek Cypriot administration’ and ‘north Cyprus’ and efforts to downgrade the Republic of Cyprus. He said Anastasiades ought to handle the situation very carefully to avert the possibility of Turkey getting additional benefits at the summit.
Giorgos Lillikas, head of the Citizens’ Alliance, said a five-party summit was Turkey’s idea, which was adopted by the UN. He said his party was suspicious of the timing of the summit given that the UN knows Turkey’s positions on a two-state solution which would lead the meeting to a standstill.
Lillikas said dangers were looming. “We do not suggest that the president should not attend, however, because our refusal to attend would facilitate Turkey in its goals,” he said. He expressed fears that the GC side would leave the summit with losses while Turkey would be facilitated in ‘legitimising’ its positions on two states and a confederation by tabling them before the UN Secretary-General.
Head of the Solidarity Movement Eleni Theocharous said she advised Anastasiades not to go to the summit, citing “traps” for the Republic of Cyprus because it “does not have the necessary status to be able to firmly negotiate its rights and with prospects of success.”
Leader of the Greens, Charalambos Theopemptou, said Anastasiades must go, but “we need to have a proper preparation beforehand, to make a risk analysis, to know exactly what our reaction will be depending on the requests that will be put forward.”
ELAM MP Linos Papayiannis said his party did not favour the possibility of Anastasiades going to the summit since huge dangers were looming while the faits accomplis to arise would be worse for Cyprus. He also said he was against the presence of the party leaders there since this would mean the summit was not an informal one.
Alithia, Haravgi and Phileleftheros, also report that Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu continues to declare that a federal solution is an illusion while only a two-state solution was feasible.
KEY ACTORS
Kyprianou (AKEL)
>> Anastasiades must go to the five-party summit well-prepared to address all issues Turkey puts forth & force Ankara either to abandon its unacceptable positions and cooperate or leave it exposed.
>> Though Turkey will try to get as much as it can at the summit, the GC side is in the right.
Papadopoulos (DIKO)
>> Calls on Anastasiades to ensure solution framework does not change & the RoC is not downgraded to the level of the regime in the north.
>> Disagrees with Anastasiades making concessions on operation of Tymbou airport to get Turkey to stop any other action or initiative.
Sizopoulos (EDEK)
>> Concerned by Anastasiades’ participation in summit given Turkey’s provocative actions & references by Guterres in his reports that downgrade the RoC.
Citizens’ Alliance (Lillikas)
>> Suspicious of timing of summit given that UN knows Turkey’s positions on a two-state solution which would lead the meeting to a standstill.
>> Not fully supportive of Anastasiades going to the summit but if he does not, would help Turkey achieve its goals. Believes, however that the GC side will gain nothing.
Theopemptou (Greens)
>> Anastasiades should go but must be well prepared to know how to react to the requests that will be put forward.
Theocharous (Solidarity Movement)
>> Anastasiades should not go to summit where there will be traps.
>> RoC not strong enough to negotiate its rights with any prospects of success.
Papayiannis (ELAM)
>> Anastasiades should not go to summit since outcome will be worse for GC side.
>> Party leaders should not escort Anastasiades to an “informal” summit.
‘Solution parameters may change if both sides want it‘
Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Phileleftheros reports that President Nicos Anastasiades has had a telephone conversation with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday to discuss among other things, thorny issues concerning Guterres’ draft reports on UNFICYP and his Good Offices mission in Cyprus.
Citing sources, the daily reported that Nicosia is in a race to have changes made to the reports concerning omissions and some references, hence Anastasiades’ telephone conversation with Guterres.
According to the paper, there is no reference to the UN Security Council resolutions in the report on the Cyprus problem and UNFICYP. Another issue is that the Republic of Cyprus is referred to as ‘GC authority’ which means the RoC is being equated with the pseudo-state. This constitutes acceptance of the equal sovereignty of the TC community. The paper reports that Nicosia’s assessment is that the authors of the reports are siding with one side.
Guterres, however, reassured Anastasiades that there was no change to the UN positions and that at the presentation of the reports to the Security Council there will be a clarification of his positions on the parameters of the solution and that he will clarify the issues.
When Anastasiades was asked by the DIKO leader at the National Council meeting on the changes the government requested, he said he asked that the reference to a ‘GC administration’ is corrected. On the non-inclusion of the form of the solution sought, he said this seems to be rectified though references to resolutions and meetings such as the one in Berlin.
Anastasiades also informed party leaders that Guterres told him the five-party summit will take place in the second half of February. The New York meeting will start with a dinner for the five parties hosted by Guterres, followed by separate meetings by the UNSG with each side. On the third day, Guterres will hold a joint meeting, a plenary, of the five representations.
UNSG special envoy Jane Holl Lute said, according to the GC side, that no conditions would be set for the convening of the five-party and pointed out that there should not be great expectations. She made clear that Guterres does not intend to act as an arbitrator but would try to see, through the meetings in New York, if there is ground for the resumption of negotiations on the Cyprus issue.
Anastasiades also informed the leaders that Lute told him, if the two sides are ready to change the parameters set such as the Guterres Framework, then the UNSG was ready to support it. The UN envoy also told Anastasiades that Guterres was willing to address the Security Council and ask for a broader or different mandate if the parties so request. Anastasiades pointed out to Lute that the solution to the Cyprus problem must respect the parameters the Security Council has set.
Anastasiades added that he told Lute, Nicosia was satisfied with the six points known as the Guterres Framework and highlighted that the GC side is committed to these parameters.
Phileleftheros and Politis report that during the National Council, Anastasiades also read to the leaders the letter he sent to Guterres on December 31 in which he refers to various CBMs, such as linking the issue of Varosha with Tymbou airport. The president’s proposal concerns the return of refugees to Varosha under UN administration and Tymbou airport going also under UN administration and operating based on international law with a single Flight Information Region (FIR). He also suggested linking the Famagusta port with the Ankara Protocol. This would mean to apply without discrimination the Ankara Protocol for Cypriot-flagged ships and to give access to the Turkish ports while at the same time opening the port of Famagusta.
On the issue of hydrocarbons, Anastasiades proposes an escrow account to safeguard TCs’ rights given that Turkey will recognise the Cypriot exclusive economic zone. Anastasiades also requested the continuation of the talks within an agreed framework, an end to illegal Turkish actions in the Cypriot EEZ and unilateral actions in the fenced-area of Famagusta.
Famagusta municipality rejects merging of local authorities
Phileleftheros
Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
According to the paper, the Famagusta municipality said it was against the creation of a ‘super municipality’ in the free areas of the district as part of local government reform plans.
The municipality said in a written statement that merging local governments in the area into one mega municipality would numerically and geographically replace the occupied municipality and weaken the struggle for return of refugees to their land in the occupied area.
It called on all stakeholders to take decisions that will contribute to the prosperity and development of all municipalities and communities in the free areas of Famagusta.
In another article, the daily reports that in a teleconference of all Cypriot local authorities that are twinned with the town of Hania in Crete, among the things discussed was the promotion of the Cyprus problem as a major national issue.
The mayors of the six twinned municipalities – Paphos, Famagusta, Kyrenia, Engomi, Polis Chrysoschous and Hania – also discussed actions to strengthen their relations in the areas of culture, innovation and digital technology, issues concerning the youth but also senior citizens.
Government bans further settlement of foreign nationals in Chlorakas
Phileleftheros
Migration & Citizenship
The daily reports that Interior Minister Nikos Nouris issued a decree banning the settlement of more foreign nationals in Chlorakas in the Paphos district due to the great demographic change observed in the village after the settlement there of more than 1,000 Syrians.
According to calculations, over 20 per cent of the Chlorakas population today are Syrians. There are now around 4,000 GCs and 1,300 Syrians living in the village. The latter settled there during the past few years. The biggest group of Syrians living in Chlorakas comes from Tel Aloush village which leads to ghettoization issues as this group controls other Syrians living in Chlorakas as regards employment but also attempts to do the same with compatriots of theirs living in the wider Paphos area.
The mass settlement of migrants or refugees in the same area has caused problems to the local community which requested action and offered space to be used by the police to increase its presence in the area, the daily reports.
Last year, the police rapid response team (MMAD) was sent to Chlorakas for some days so that order and security would prevail after cases of theft and drugs were observed, the paper reported.
It adds that around 28,000 Syrians have come to Cyprus in the past few years due to the situation in their country with the interior ministry trying to find ways to help them integrate into Cypriot society, which is not easy due to their large numbers.