Front Page Headlines
We are surfing dangerously towards the third wave
Premiere of partial lifting of the restrictive measures with a surge in coronavirus cases. Cyprus’ epidemiological picture is at a crucial point with the health ministry announcing yesterday 302 new cases out of 38,001 tests with the positivity rate rising to 0.90%. The health minister is to urgently convene, possibly today, the epidemiological team to discuss the situation. Measures, monitoring and vaccinations are his three-fold strategy. The rise in cases during the past few days raises concerns also about the situation in hospitals with OKYPY increasing the number of beds and preparing for the possibility of a new surge in cases.
- Pre-election fighting: Ministers and the Presidential Palace have assumed battle positions
Instead of vaccines, we are carrying out tests
Scientists: The millions (spent) ought to have been utilised in additional agreements for vaccinations.The purchase costs of rapid tests exceeded €15m.
- Teleconference with Merkel before Borrell’s visit
- Group fire over passports of Ayia Napa marina directors: Big scandal, says opposition
Bribes for the Larnaca sewerage board scandal remain in the drawer
The case has been filed as ‘otherwise disposed of’ on the orders of the attorney-general.
- Cyprus problem: Diplomacy, behind-the-scenes and preparation intensifying ahead of the five-party summit
- TC journalists defend freedom of the press
- Corruption: Anastasiades plays the public, he has degraded institutions and morals
Ioannou lashes out at violators
Rule-breaking is delaying a return to normality, (health) minister says.
USA leaves Turks exposed!
On the Cyprus problem solution framework. The US wishes for a bizonal bicommunal federal solution. The informal five-party summit is a step of crucial importance, Garber told the TC ‘news agency’. “The parties should be seriously involved in this conference and find common ground by taking advantage of this opportunity.” The Cyprus problem process should remain under UN auspices.
- The government hits back: Nicolas Papadopoulos is a nihilist and populist
Main News
Movement in Nicosia ahead of EUCO, five-party summit
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
Movement is expected within the coming days on the Cyprus problem and ahead of discussions at the European Council (EUCO) on March 25 on EU-Turkey relations, in the form of contacts with EU officials and the arrival of UNSG special envoy Jane Holl Lute, the dailies report.
President Nicos Anastasiades is set to hold a teleconference on Thursday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and a meeting on Friday with EU High Representative Josep Borrell, while next week he will meet with Lute.
Phileleftheros reports that Nicosia seeks EU presence throughout the entire Cyprus problem process and not just the final conference. What Nicosia primarily seeks and will be emphasised both in the teleconference with Merkel and during Borrell’s visit is for the EU itself to respond to Ankara’s aspirations regarding the form of a solution to the Cyprus problem. In particular, the Cypriot government expects that the message from the EU to Ankara will be that the solution sought by the Turkish side – two states with sovereign equality – cannot be accepted by Europe. The Presidential Palace estimates that if they manage to persuade Merkel and Borrell to take a position on the Cyprus issue, then it will be decisive for how the EU in general will see the developments and its involvement, the daily reported.
The daily also reports that Anastasiades has already replied to UN Secretary-General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres’ invitation to the informal five-party conference on Cyprus. Citing sources, the paper reported that Anastasiades said in his response that he is ready to participate in the informal conference on Cyprus with full political will for the creation of conditions for the resumption of talks to reach a functional and sustainable bizonal, bicommunal federal (BBF) solution to the Cyprus problem for the benefit of both communities.
Phileleftheros and Haravgi report that the foreign ministers of Greece and Cyprus had a telephone conversation on Monday afternoon to coordinate on the Cyprus problem and issues concerning the Eastern Mediterranean.
Haravgi also reports that behind-the-scenes diplomacy and preparation for the five-party summit are intensifyin this week with the visits of Borrell and Lute and the telephone conversation with Merkel. All contacts and moves are made for coordination in view of the preparation of the report by Borrell to EUCO which will discuss on March 25, Euro-Turkish relations. Turkey’s behaviour in the Eastern Mediterranean but also its stance on the effort and initiative of the UN Secretary-General to resume negotiations on the terms set by Guterres himself will be on the main menu of Borrell’s contacts in Nicosia in March 4-5, the daily reported. He is set to meet with the two leaders and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus.
Citing a diplomatic source, the paper reports that the issue of the EU’s participation at the five-party summit as an observer, which is one of Nicosia’s main demands, is expected to be clarified just before the European Council.
The papers also report on a spat between DIKO and the government after the opposition party levelled accusations against the way the government has been handling things during the past three years, including the Cyprus problem.
DIKO’s leader Nicolas Papadopoulos said that these past three years will always be identified with the mistakes on the Cyprus problem, the collapse of the Cooperative Bank, middle class and small and medium-sized businesses, the rise in poverty, corruption and scandals.
On the Cyprus issue, he said that a few weeks before the five-party summit, “we are facing blackmail either to accept an agreed partition or for a Turkish-style closure of the Cyprus issue.” Simply put, the Republic of Cyprus is more threatened than ever, he noted.
Head of the president’s press office, Victoras Papadopoulos, in response, asked the DIKO leader to say what the consequences will be for the GC side if it rejects the UNSG’s invitation. “Does DIKO believe that our participation in the Conference is either an acceptance of agreed partition or a closure of the Cyprus issue within Turkish standards?” Papadopoulos asked, according to the dailies.
In another article, Phileleftheros, citing an interview by Turkish daily Hurriyet with Italy’s ambassador to Turkey Massimo Gaiani, reports that the strong economic ties between Italy and Turkey also play an important role in how Rome approaches its relations with Ankara.
Rome supports the Turkish proposal for dialogue in the Eastern Mediterranean, through which Ankara is trying to either push the occupying regime to the table or remove the Republic of Cyprus from it. Italy shows from the outset its intention to push within the EU to update the Customs Union with Turkey, Phileleftheros reported. It said that Gaiani’s statements to Hurriyet were indicative of Rome’s intentions and reported that the ambassador said that Turkey is for Italy a close partner and a very important key player in the Eastern Mediterranean region, a very important partner in NATO, but also a country of the utmost importance in the EU. The Italian ambassador stressed that “Ankara is of particular importance for our economy, our security and for stability in the region”. He also said that his country was in favour of an Eastern Mediterranean summit as it is directly interested in developments in the region and would contribute to and support holding such a meeting, Phileleftheros reported.
KEY ACTORS
Papadopoulos (DIKO)
>> The government has made mistakes during the past three years on the Cyprob & now RoC is more threatened than ever with what’s to come.
>> The GC side is being blackmailed by way of the five-party summit, to either accept an agreed partition or a Turkish-style closure of the Cyprob.
Garber: US supports BBF solution
Alithia, Haravgi, Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The dailies report on an interview with US Ambassador to Nicosia Judith Garber by the TC ‘news agency’.
Alithia, citing Garber’s statements that Washington wants a bizonal bicommunal federal (BBF) solution, reports that the US left the Turkish side exposed as regards their demands on the Cyprus problem. The daily reported that she left the Turkish rhetoric for a two-state solution and sovereign equality exposed after stressing her country’s support for a just and viable BBF solution in the context of UN resolutions.
To the question on the US stance in case the sides agree to negotiate a new solution model, such as a loose federation or two states and given Guterres’ statement that he is open to new ideas, the US ambassador said she believes that the idea of the informal five-party was for the parties to discuss their vision, concerns and views to see if a common ground can be found. She avoided making a prediction on whether a common ground would be found at that meeting but said that if there are divergences from the Security Council resolutions, the matter should be taken up with the UN Security Council itself. Garber stressed that the important thing is to restart the negotiations because without a real negotiation process there cannot be any progress for a solution, the papers reported.
KEY ACTORS
Garber (US)
>> US supports a just and viable BBF solution within the context of UN resolutions.
>> Aim of five-party summit is for sides to see if common ground can be found on way forward. If they agree on solution outside UNSC resolutions, need to take it up with UNSC.
>> To record progress on Cyprob solution, need to restart negotiations.
DISY leader launches contacts with TC parties on Cyprob
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Ruling DISY leader Averof Neophytou announced he is launching a series of contacts with TC parties on the Cyprus problem.
According to the papers, Neophytou, following a meeting on Monday with former President Giorgos Vassiliou on the Cyprus problem ahead of the five-party summit, announced he was launching a series of contacts with TC parties.
The first such meeting will take place on Wednesday in the north with head of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), Tufan Erhurman. He said he would also try to arrange a meeting with TC leader Ersin Tatar’s National Unity Party (UBP).
“Our priority is to have a successful outcome and in this direction I will personally do what I can by listening to the views and suggestions of President Vassiliou, listening to the views of the Turkish Cypriots who support the reunification of our country, who reject the two-state solution and with political leaders who share the vision for the reunification of our homeland in helping to reopen the window of hope for the Cypriot people,” he said.
He added that he would also try to meet with Tatar’s party because the TC leader is also one of the people who will formulate the final proposal, regardless of his public statements with which Neophytou said he strongly disagrees. “I will try to meet with his party for them to hear our views that there is one Cyprus and cannot be divided and that it is in the interest of the entire Cypriot people, GCs and TCs, to keep Cyprus united,” he said.
Neophytou is set to also meet on Thursday with the AKEL leader, the dailies report.
KEY ACTORS
Neophytou (DISY)
>> Willing to hear Cyprob positions of TC parties, especially those who support reunification & reject two-state solution, to help reopen window of hope for Cypriot people.
>> Willing to discuss Cyprob with UBP too, because Tatar is one of the key actors who will formulate the final proposal. UBP must also hear DISY’s views that it is in the interest of both GCs & TCs to keep Cyprus united.