GCC Press Review 3 Mar 2021

Front Page Headlines

Politis

Open for as long as the healthcare system can hold

The rising number of cases over the past few days does not change plans for the time being. Green light for a continuation of the plan for de-escalating measures during yesterday’s emergency meeting between the Health Minister and epidemiologists, since the surge in cases has not affected the healthcare system. The flow of vaccines is playing an important role in the continuation of the gradual lifting of restrictions, as it appears to have helped in the reduction of hospitalisations and serious illnesses. One death yesterday (52-year-old without underlying conditions) and 288 new cases. The positivity rate of tests remains however close to 1% which is considered the safety limit.

  • Cyprus Problem: Seeking clear positions from the EU
  • Clauses: First ruling against a bank
  • Towards a referendum for local government: We’re going for a 2-in-1 ballot box… MPs and (local government) reform
  • Presidential Palace sees “propaganda, expletives and mud-slinging”

Phileleftheros

This is how they will distribute the €1.2 billion

‘Ph’ presents the Government’s plan for making good use of the European Recovery Fund. €509 million for the resilience of the economy and another €422 million on the promotion of a green economy.

  • Federation in three dimensions: The British are putting the BBF at the start rather than the finish line
  • Daily cases raising questions but not causing concern: Scientists not pulling the brakes on the de-escalation of measures
  • Education in a shambles: Mandatory rapid tests for students lit fires
  • Evidence from other countries on naturalisations: Request for judicial assistance from Britain on the Al Jazeera case
  • Legal bill on packaging parliamentary elections with referendum on municipalities’ reform
  • Erdogan raises democratic reforms
  • Responsibility for vaccinations on the ’27’ (EU member states) – Bioethics Committee: No to vaccinations by force.

Haravgi

Quadrilaterals taking water… EastMed will pass through Egypt!

Nicosia troubled by Mistotakis’ new idea. Cyprus is losing… Egypt is scoring geopolitically.

  • Cyprus Problem: BBF is a ‘starting point’ Raab says, speaking of ‘flexibility and pragmatism’
  • Corruption: They’re investing in silence so that the marina scandal can pass lightly
  • Endurance of hospitals a ‘lighthouse’
  • Government refusing referendums (on local government) that give voice to local communities
  • Authorities are called to act immediately on reports of sexual harassment

Cyprus Mail

Spike worries health leaders

More cases expected after easing of measures, Okypy says ready for third wave.

  • Yiolitis calls on sex abused to report cases
  • Breeding colony of monk seals found in north

Alithia

Explosive situation in schools!

Concerns over the increase in cases. Five chains of infection in Limassol schools. School managements are receiving threats if they do not allow students to return to classrooms without a rapid test. Yesterday a 52-year-old without underlying conditions died!

  • Intense diplomatic movement: Ahead of the informal summit on the Cyprus Problem and the European Council summit – Borrell and Lute arriving in Cyprus for contacts – Anastasiades-Merkel teleconference.
  • Government suggestion: Referendum for local government together with parliamentary elections
  • Bishop of Morphou: Sermon also against El Diablo
  • Banks take the stand: First judicial ruling on abusive clauses

Main News

Raab says BBF a ‘starting point’

Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process, EU Matters

OVERVIEW

The dailies report on comments made by the UK’s Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who described the model of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation (BBF) as “a starting point” for a settlement to the Cyprus Problem, urging “flexibility and pragmatism”.

He made the comments in the House of Commons on Tuesday in response to a question by Labour MP Bambos Charalambous, who had asked the Foreign Secretary to confirm the British government’s commitment to a BBF as “the only basis” for a political settlement in Cyprus, ahead of next month’s UN-backed talks in Geneva. Raab commented that “of course that is the starting point.”

He then added, according to the Cyprus Mail: “The most important thing we need to see right now is for both sides to go to those UN 5-plus-1 talks without preconditions, so we can re-engage in the kind of flexibility and pragmatism that can see lasting and enduring peace for the whole of Cyprus.”

Phileleftheros cites the Cyprus News Agency which was told by British government sources following Raab’s comments that the UK remains a strong supporter of a fair and long-term solution based on the internationally accepted model of a BBF.

Haravgi also reports on a written response issued by the UK’s Under-Secretary of State for European Neighbourhood Wendy Morton to a question submitted last Friday by Conservative MP Mark Pritchard on Britain’s policy on Cyprob and its support of UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions 550 and 789. The paper says Morton reiterated Britain’s support for a fair and comprehensive solution, “based on existing parameters as described in relevant UNSC Resolutions, including 550 (1984) and 789 (1992).” But Haravgi highlights the fact that Morton failed to specifically refer to the internationally accepted BBF model.

Phileleftheros reports that the five parties to come together at the informal summit have split into three camps with different approaches to the point of departure and the final settlement. The GC side and Greece make one camp, the TC side and Turkey a second, and the UK makes a third, the paper reports. Each camp holds a different position on a BBF. The GC side and Greece see the BBF as the ideal settlement, Turkey and the north are not even willing to discuss it, putting forward instead a two-state solution with sovereign equality, while the UK is attempting to table proposals that bridge the two sides, which don’t appear to be just ‘food for thought’, as is claimed on a diplomatic level.

Phileleftheros reports that against the backdrop of discussions on British proposals or ‘food for thought’ to facilitate a bridging of the two sides’ positions, Raab’s statement on the BBF being a starting point has now been officially recorded in the minutes of the House of Commons. Phileleftheros reports that if Raab’s position is accepted, negotiations will have to resume on this basis, which forms the ultimate pursuit of the GC side.

The dailies also report on comments issued Tuesday by the director of the President’s press office Victoras Papadopoulos, who confirmed the contents of Anastasiades’ response to the UN Secretary-General’s (UNSG) invitation to the informal summit. Papadopoulos said Anastasiades expressed his commitment, readiness, determination and political will to contribute to the conference’s goal of resuming the Cyprus talks from where they left off at Crans-Montana, on the basis of UN resolutions and EU values ​​and principles, the High-Level Agreements and the Guterres framework for the transformation of the Republic of Cyprus into a viable and functional bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, within the parameters agreed in Berlin on November 25, 2019 that were reflected in the announcement of the Secretary-General.

Meanwhile, Politis reports that during the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell’s visit to Nicosia, the GC side hopes he will make clear the EU’s opposition to a two-state solution and sovereign equality. The GC side is depending on the EU to persuade Ankara to tone down its confrontational stance ahead of the informal five-party summit. But the paper says it is unlikely that Borrell will do so in his public statements. Politis expects that publicly, Borrell will reaffirm support for a solution based on the agreed-upon framework that stems from UNSC resolutions.

During Borrell’s visit, Politis reports that the GC side will also strive to ensure EU involvement in negotiations, since it is the EU that has the ability, on a technocratic level at least, to define the limits of flexibility of efforts to find common ground between the two sides. The paper reports that the EU has declared its intention to assign a person or team that will participate in Cyprob processes, either through the UN’s Good Offices or otherwise.

Politis reports that the GC side will also push for a stronger EU stance against Turkey during the upcoming European Council (EUCO) in late March. The paper writes that both Athens and Nicosia are seeking to ensure that Turkey’s latest actions are included in Borrell’s report on Turkey, and to get the message across that without actions and agreements a positive agenda cannot move forward. Specifically, Nicosia is hoping to see included in the EU’s rhetoric the position that a positive agenda can only move forward if Turkey moves along the agreed-upon framework for a Cyprus Problem solution. It also stands with Athens against handing Turkey any sort of ‘gifts’ before Cyprob processes and exploratory talks make notable headway.

KEY ACTORS
Raab (UK)
>>
BBF a starting point for Cyprob settlement.
>> Both sides need to participate in 5+1 without preconditions and with flexibility and pragmatism so that lasting and enduring peace can be achieved.

Morton (UK)
>> Britain supports fair and comprehensive solution based on UNSC resolutions.

Anastasiades
>> Ready to resume talks from where they left off at Crans-Montana, on basis of UN resolutions, EU values & principles, High-Level Agreements & Guterres framework for a viable and functional BBF within parameters agreed upon in Berlin on November 25, 2019.


Egypt reportedly proposes EastMed pipeline bypassing Cyprus

Haravgi
Energy

OVERVIEW

Citing Greek media, Haravgi reports that the leaders of Greece, Egypt and Israel are seriously considering having the EastMed pipeline pass through Egypt in a way that bypasses Cyprus, which is viewed as a nuisance due to the Cyprus Problem and complications with Turkey.

Haravgi, citing information, reports that the Cypriot government is extremely troubled by the stance of its partners and particularly by that of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Meanwhile, Nicosia is also attempting to refute the Greek report claiming that the pipeline project is under review.

According to the Greek report, the President of Egypt Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi presented Mitsotakis with the idea of changing the pipeline’s path so that it still departs from Israel’s Leviathan gas field, but then rather than moving toward Cyprus, moves instead toward Egypt. The pipeline will continue its path on land until the borders of Egypt and Libya, before climbing up to Crete through Greece and Egypt’s demarcated EEZs. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers will then transport the fuel either to Alexandroupolis or to other areas, with Europe as a final destination.

Mitsotakis reportedly relayed the idea to both the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Nicos Anastasiades. Haravgi reports that the idea was discussed extensively during Mitsotakis’ recent trips to Nicosia and Jerusalem, as well as during Anastasiades’ meeting with Netanyahu in Israel. The paper reports that these meetings were followed by the visit of a broad Egyptian delegation to Israel, during which information regarding the potential alteration of the EastMed pipeline’s course emerged.


Kato Pyrgos pushes to restore community members’ ability to cross

Alithia, Haravgi
Internal Security

OVERVIEW

The Kato Pyrgos community council is demanding that an immediate solution is found to the inability of the community’s residents to cross through checkpoints, the dailies report.

Head of the community council Nikos Kleanthous told the Cyprus News Agency that through his recent contacts with representatives of the Foreign Ministry and Presidential Commissioner, he was assured that the government is seeking explanations and an immediate solution to the matter through the involvement of the UN. Kleanthous explained that the north is currently unilaterally allowing only TCs to cross.

Kleanthous said the Kato Pyrgos community is waiting for new developments and especially for a response on behalf of the UN and the north, before deciding on whether any further actions will be taken by the community.

Kleanthous said he expects positive results and the restoration of the community members’ ability to cross through checkpoints, as well as the ability of TC workers and students to do the same through checkpoints in Nicosia.

Haravgi, citing information, reports that the government is also expecting positive results on the matter, otherwise it will also take measures to restore the equal treatment of GCs and TCs at checkpoints.


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