Front Page Headlines
Convening a small and large negotiating team
Waiting for Guterres to set the date and attempt to avert a failure of the ‘5+1’ summit. On Wednesday, the team of constitutional experts ascend to the Presidential Palace for the third time, as will the smaller negotiating team for preparation on specific scenarios. The wider team that supports the negotiator is being activated anew, and will be convening at the Presidential Palace this Thursday to exchange opinions and suggestions in view of what is to come. New York has the general command and coordination of moves in view of what is to follow, with Antonio Guterres not rushing to make official a date and location for the convening of the summit.
- Deryneia-Buffer Zone: Cinema of rapprochement
- Parliament: Phedonas slammed over T/C properties in Paphos
- Cases: We fell under 100
Three files on abuse cases
The cases of six athletes who reported [sports] officials will soon be in the hands of the Attorney General. New evidence brings the case of the basketball player back to light.
- They’re driving [the summit] towards end of March so it coincides with the EU summit: Five-party at the mercy of Turkish tactics
- [Turkey] Promoting ‘Crete model’ for S-400
- New local plans for south Nicosia and Tseri: Large developments but impact study has not been conducted
- Constantinou: Phedonas a Roman Emperor – Explosive situation in Paphos over control of T/C properties
Everything open for five-party (summit) on Cyprus Problem
The UN are looking for new dates for the five-party. A ‘decentralised’ [federation] dangerous under these circumstances. Merkel welcomes the ‘positive developments’ in the Eastern Mediterranean.
- Friendship and cooperation forum in Athens
- Fire against Paphos mayor for exceeding powers in management of T/C properties
Mandatory tests ‘against rights’
Prominent lawyers say tests on workers unconstitutional.
- Place and date of Cyprus conference still uncertain
- New Turkish drama about 1963-1974 creates buzz in north
Hot legal bill tomorrow in Parliament
From DISY-EDEK. On the plenum’s agenda is a law proposal for the financial support of owners of immovable property occupied by the Turks. To secure funds, it is foreseen that a contribution of 0.40% will be imposed on the transfer of properties and shares. The government disagrees, citing also reasons of unconstitutionality.
- The five-party in a foggy landscape: No one knows yet when and where it will take place – Erdogan makes new openings to European Union. Most likely scenario is for conference to be convened between March 10-20 or March 20-31.
- Andros Karayiannis: A cinema in the Deryneia Buffer Zone will operate in spring
- Coronavirus: Cases decreased to two-digit number
Main News
Delay in clarifying summit details raising concerns
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The dailies report on the delay on the part of the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres in setting an official date and location for the informal five-party conference.
Politis reports that the delay is intensifying concerns that Guterres may be seeking assurances that he will succeed in bringing about even the slightest positive development through the informal summit before he officially convenes it. But the paper notes that such a scenario is not being confirmed by government sources, who claim that official announcements on the summit, which the UNSG fully intends to convene, are expected in the coming days or even hours. Haravgi and Alithia report that Nicosia was officially informed on Monday night by the UNSG’s special envoy Jane Holl Lute that the summit will not be taking place on March 1-3 as was initially the plan.
Politis reports that Guterres wanted to convene the summit in New York, and still does, though Geneva appears to be resurfacing as the most likely host location, a development also reported by Phileleftheros and Alithia. Phileleftheros reports that the UN had initially wanted to stage the summit in January, but it has been repeatedly pushed back with the tentative date now being placed in late March.
Politis reports that while the date of the summit may not directly affect the outcome of the summit, if Turkey succeeds in getting it to coincide with the EU summit in March where EU-Turkish relations will be discussed, then Athens and Nicosia will need to make specific moves so that Turkey’s behaviour in the Eastern Mediterranean is not ignored or overshadowed by the informal Cyprus Problem summit. Phileleftheros reports that the Cyprus Problem is once again at the mercy of Turkish tactics, which in this case involve exploiting the informal summit to make gains in its relations with the EU. The paper reports that Nicosia and Athens are wary over the games being played by Turkey in view of the EU summit, to the extent that questions are being raised over whether the informal summit will be held at all.
Refuting claims regarding Turkish manoeuvres being behind the delay in setting a date for the summit, Alithia reports that the pushing back of the date of the summit does not appear to have political undertones and is mainly due to pandemic-related issues and Guterres’ heavily-loaded schedule. The paper, citing a diplomatic source, said the UN is trying to find a date that suits all parties, but particularly the UNSG. But, Alithia reports, political games on the part of Turkey in view of crafting a positive image of itself are not out of the question.
The papers report that Nicosia and Athens are preparing for both the informal summit and the EU summit, where Phileleftheros, citing information,reports that new decisions might not be made in relation to EU-Turkish relations. Phileleftheros reports that during their recent meeting in Nicosia, President Nicos Anastasiades and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis did not rule out the possibility that the issue of Turkey will be pushed back to the next EU summit. Phileleftheros reports that for Turkey, it is important that the EU summit does not result in new measures and that the country succeeds in securing financial support for its migration issue, which the paper reports is an unlikely scenario.
Haravgi reports on comments made by Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides in relation to Turkey’s attempts to push back the informal summit to after the EU summit, with Christodoulides stating that it is the outcome that is important. “We need to see tangible examples in writing that Turkey adopts the positive agenda defined by the EU,” Christodoulides said. The FM also reiterated that the GC side will not be consenting to a change in the agreed-upon framework for a solution to the Cyprus Problem.
Haravgi reports that AKEL’s spokesperson Stefanos Stefanou said Tuesday that the Republic must remain consistent in its demand for talks to continue from where they left off, noting that “consistency fortifies and protects” the GC side. Stefanou also warned of the dangers of putting a confederal model up for discussion at the five-party summit, that would render it a new idea and thereby allowing the TC side to come forward with its own new idea of a two-state solution.
Meanwhile, Haravgi reports that a meeting held Tuesday between GC negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis and French Ambassador to Cyprus Salina Grenet-Catalano focused on the importance of UN parameters and the federal solution model for Cyprus. The paper reports that Grenet-Catalano tweeted that she hopes the upcoming five-party summit will lead to a result-oriented process toward reunification.
Politis reports that Lute may be visiting the island following confirmation of the summit’s details.
KEY ACTORS
Christodoulides
>> Turkey must tangibly show that it adopts the EU’s positive agenda.
>> Will not consent to a change in the agreed-upon framework for a Cyprob solution.
AKEL
>> Republic must remain consistent in its demand for the resumption of talks from where they left off, including past convergences.
>> Warns against putting a confederal solution model on the table at the informal summit, as this may pave the way for a two-state solution model to also be put up for discussion.
GC negotiating teams to convene at Presidential Palace
Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The dailies report on the increasing Cyprus Problem mobility currently underway at the Presidential Palace, where the Republic’s negotiating team and group of constitutional experts are set to hold meetings on Wednesday and Thursday evening.
Politis reports that over the past few days the Presidential Palace has switched into Cyprob mode, both due to the visiting foreign officials but also the need to adequately prepare for specific scenarios that may play out at the informal summit.
On Wednesday, Politis and Phileleftheros report, the Palace will be hosting the third meeting of the constitutional experts (Constantinides, Paraskevas, Kompos, Emilianides) who are advising the President on aspects of the Cyprus Problem, while the meeting will also be opened up to the narrower negotiating team (Christodoulides, Kasoulides, Kouros, Panayiotis Demetriou, Mavroyiannis) for a discussion on specific scenarios. Phileleftheros reports that the specific team has conducted an analysis of the positions being developed by Turkey and the north through a study of public statements.
On Thursday, the papers add, the wider team supporting the GC negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis (Marcoulli, Kleanthous, Eliades, and others) will convene to exchange opinions and suggestions ahead of the summit.
Tatar, Ersan say Turkey not the root of Cyprus issues
Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Politis reports that the TC leader Ersin Tatar on Tuesday remained firm in his call for a solution of two sovereign states, and said the positions of Greece and the GC side are disrupting dialogue, negotiations, and chances of a solution.
The paper reports that Tatar also spoke of political and sovereign equality, and the safeguarding of Turkish guarantees and military forces in Cyprus. Tatar also referred to Greece as the “true occupier” of Cyprus, claiming that it was Turkey that “brought peace to the entirety of Cyprus.”
Haravgi reports on the reactions of the TC ‘prime minister’ Ersan Saner to the statements issued by President Nicos Anastasiades and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis following their meeting in Nicosia on Monday. In a written statement on Tuesday, Saner said Greece and the GC side continue to refuse to recognise the need for the protection of the sovereignty of the TC side.
According to the Cyprus Mail, Saner said Greece and the GC side “clearly say that they want the so-called Republic of Cyprus to continue its path and we will be given a patch. They reject our sovereign equality and ostensibly claim that they want a functioning state structure. However, their intention is not to make us partners in the decisions.”
Haravgi reports Saner also said that Cyprus’ problems are rooted in the call of enosis (unification) with Greece and that it is the GCs that are responsible for how things played out, adding that neither Greece nor the GC side are willing to resolve the Cyprus Problem.
Cyprus Mail quotes Saner in saying that “if there is an occupying power in Cyprus, it is the Greek Cypriot side that ousted us by force of arms from the Republic of Cyprus and took alone the state of which we were partners.”
Saner also said that the dream of Greece and the Greek Cypriots “is to sever the ties of the Turkish Cypriots with Turkey, to give us minority rights in the so-called Republic of Cyprus which has become a Greek state for the interests of the Greek nation.”
KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> Greek & GC positions are disrupting dialogue, negotiations & prospects for a solution.
>> Reiterated call for two-state solution, political and sovereign equality, but also called for the safeguarding of Turkish guarantees and armed forces in Cyprus.
>> Greece the “true occupier” of Cyprus, while Turkey the island’s peacemaker.
Saner (UBP)
>> Greece & GCs do not intend on sharing power with TCs, nor recognise their sovereignty, and therefore do not seek a resolution of Cyprob.
>> Issues in Cyprus rooted in calls for enosis, therefore GCs responsible for Cyprus situation. GC side the occupying power as TCs were ousted from RoC by force of arms.
>> Greece, GCs want to sever ties between north and Turkey and to give TCs minority rights in the RoC which only serves interests of Greece.
Merkel welcomes positive East Med developments in call with Erdogan
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
EU Matters
OVERVIEW
The dailies report on a teleconference held between the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday.
Citing a German government statement, the papers report that Merkel welcomed the “positive developments” in the Eastern Mediterranean, and highlighted that it is important for steps to now be taken for progress in dialogue. Merkel also underlined the importance of a constructive relationship between the EU and Turkey.
Citing Turkish media, Alithia reports that during the teleconference Erdogan requested the convening of a conference between the EU and Turkey immediately and before the conclusion of the Portuguese presidency.
Erdogan also highlighted that the EU’s fair and constructive stance benefits both parties and called for a launching of the necessary processes for the updating of the agreement reached on March 18. Alithia cites a Turkish announcement where the desire is expressed for the promotion of EU-Turkish relations with a positive agenda until the EU summit in March through a boosting of contacts and meetings.
Open-air cinema in Deryneia Buffer Zone to be ready by spring
Alithia, Politis
Territory
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that the open-air cinema being developed in the Deryneia Buffer Zone will be up and running by spring, as construction has entered the final stage.
The construction of the cinema was an initiative of the Deryneia municipality in cooperation with the Italian Embassy in Cyprus, the Point Centre for Contemporary Art organisation, the UN, and the Italian-German artist Rosa Barba. Deryneia mayor Andros Karayiannis said the artist Rosa Barba came up with the idea for a cinema that would be accessible for both communities, the dailies report.
The project won first place in an international competition and also secured funding from the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage. The open-air cinema will belong to the municipality and will be used for a variety of cultural and bicommunal programmes, the papers report.
Karayiannis said the municipality has additional bicommunal projects in the pipeline, such as the under-construction social sports stadiums within the Buffer Zone in the area near the checkpoint. Karayiannis said work on the specific project was temporarily halted due to restriction measures but will resume and be completed once measures are lifted and checkpoints reopen.
Karayiannis said that “with the social sports stadiums, the ‘Garage’ bicommunal centre next to the checkpoint, and the open-air cinema, our municipality will have three noteworthy projects that will relate to the rapprochement efforts between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots”.