Front Page Headlines
Fears of Egypt Turkey accord
An Egypt-Turkey turnaround would isolate Cyprus, but big divisions remain.
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Diplomatic mobilisation for EastMed leaks
How Turkey took advantage of the vagueness, making an opening toward Egypt.
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- National awakening: “Turkey besieging Cyprus-Aegean-Thrace”
- Geadis Geadi (Opinion): In the face of partition we’re calling for liberation
- Chris Michael (Opinion): DISY and AKEL hand in hand
- Sofoklis Mousoulos (Opinion): The historically illiterate propagandist Erdogan
- Andreas Morphitis (Opinion): In the face of the five-party conference
- Yiannakis L. Omirou (Opinion): 57 years since resolution 186/1964
What have we won and what have we lost?
Review of the pandemic. One year after the first coronavirus case in Cyprus.
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Strict message from Brussels
Didier Reynders: An end must be put to the granting of European passports. Exclusive interview to ‘Ph’: What the European Commission is demanding from Cyprus and Malta.
- Towards a conference in June: A strategic agreement high on the agenda
- The Cyprus problem between Brussels and the Seychelles
- Poll by Phileleftheros: Citizens hand out fail grade over corruption
- Foreign tourists: They’ll pay for tests, we’ll pay for hospitalisation
Use of tactics and expectations in five-party
How the blamegame gains, in the event of a failure, characteristics of a medium-term goal for the GC and the TC side. At the centre is the role that will be played by Brussels in the end.
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- The green pass at the European Council summit
Corruption and economy crucially afflicting the government
DISY maintaining its lead, AKEL reducing the difference.
- Checkpoints: Facilitations to keep contacts between GCs and TCs alive
Go ready to compromise
Borrell to Anastasiades-Tatar for the five-party. Josep Borrell noted that negotiations will not begin from point zero.
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Main News
United Cyprob front by DISY, AKEL of crucial importance
Alithia, Kathimerini, Politis, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Phileleftheros reports on the general disregard for the Cyprus problem in political discussions, which are however currently marked by a heightened toxicity. The paper reports that a series of moves by the Presidency, combined with the current pre-election period, provided the pretext for opposition parties, and particularly DIKO, to ramp up the intensity, overshadowing Cyprob developments such as visits by EU and UN officials.
The unprecedented pre-election toxicity of the current domestic political climate was also highlighted by the under-secretary to the President Vasilis Palmas in an interview with Kathimerini. Regarding the informal five-party summit, which he described as important, if not decisive, Palmas stressed that Anastasiades will not accept that the solution framework is changed or asphyxiating timelines. He added that the GC side is well prepared for all possible scenarios.
Phileleftheros reports that against this backdrop, some are stepping up to fill in the gaps, such as the DISY leader Averof Neophytou, who has recently held a string of contacts with foreign diplomats, TC parties, and the leader of AKEL Andros Kyprianou, all of which centred the Cyprus problem. The paper writes that while some are quick to dub Neophytou’s moves as a political show, especially given the publicity his contacts are garnering, DISY views Neophytou as a daring president providing his nation with a positive service, and as someone who is shedding light on the realistic path forward for political forces supporting a bizonal bicommunal federation (BBF).
Phileleftheros reports that the meeting with Averof will likely push Kyprianou to put more weight on the Cyprus problem, since despite long-standing differences as regards economic and social policy, the Republic’s two largest parties can agree on the Cyprus problem. But with elections in the near future, the paper writes that a common front between the two parties seems far-fetched.
Phileleftheros reports that Kyprianou was very careful in his after meeting with Neophytou in an attempt to not be identified with DISY in Cyprob matters, arguing instead that it is DISY and Neophytou that have shifted toward his party’s positions. Kyprianou said that the National Council is divided into two camps: the first oppose Guterres framework (Solidarity, Citizens’ Alliance, ELAM, EDEK, Greens) and the second support it (AKEL, DIKO, DISY, DIPA).
Politis reports that both party leaders are not hiding their concern over the stagnation that has marked the Cyprus problem for the past four years, which they believe has allowed Turkey to consolidate faits accomplish on land and sea (Akinci’s loss, reopening of Varosha, drillings in EEZ), and to assume true control over the TC community.
Politis reports that while both stood against two-state and confederal solutions, Kyprianou made sure to keep some distance in view of upcoming elections, and Neophytou sought to cover two bases: first to get the message across that AKEL is not only in contact with DIKO but is also forming a common agenda with DISY on Cyprob, and second, to divert attention away from talk on corruption scandals embroiling the President Nicos Anstasiades. Politis reports that Neophytou is also attempting to extend political credibility to the pressure being exerted by AKEL on Anastasiades to return to substantive negotiations. At the same time, the paper reports that both privately express reservations as regards whether Anastasiades is truly willing to do what it takes to get negotiations rolling again.
Politis, citing information, reports that the two parties will likely take things a step further to promote a joint vote during the discussion to be held on Cyprob in parliament on March 19.
Regarding Turkey’s current opposition to see the EU participating in the informal summit, Kathimerini reports that this may be an attempt to get Brussels to take a step back from its position in favour of a BBF. Citing information, the paper reports that the UK agrees with Turkey’s stance, and is pulling strings on the specific matter since it believes that the EU should take a more flexible stance. The paper links this with the statements issued by the UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who said that a BBF is the point of departure but refrained from clearly stating what the end point is. Kathimerini reports that in any case, Brussels and Berlin believe that the EU will ultimately participate at the informal summit as an observer.
Kathimerini rerports that though Borrell publicly proclaimed the EU’s support for a BBF, he nevertheless made sure to refrain from troubling Ankara by avoiding to take a position on guarantees and the withdrawal of Turkish troops, and even evaded the question when asked by the Cyprus News Agency.
Kathimerini reports that the UN Secretary General’s (UNSG) special envoy Jane Holl Lute was due on the island on Sunday for a string of contacts before departing for Athens on Tuesday, but a meeting has yet to be set with Ankara, meaning that if one is not arranged before her departure she will have to return to the region at a later date.
Politis reports that in the event that the new Cyprob initiative collapses, as the paper suggests it will, three scenarios will likely play out, all of which benefit Turkey. The first is a continuation of the status quo, with Turkey continuing its moves in Varosha and a new round of drillings in the Cypriot EEZ. Politis reports that Turkey is not likely to lose out through Cyprob as it has already adapted its policy after the new US administration, it has begun a dialogue with the EU and with Greece over EEZs, all while leaving Cyprob out of it, citing a lack of credibility on the part of the GC side and Anastasiades, a reasoning that is gaining ground among EU diplomatic offices that view Anastasiades’ lack of decisiveness as part of a non-solution. The second scenario, that comes after the consolidation of the first, involves attempts by Turkey to secure a recognition of the north. If the Republic ever recognises the north, certain small territorial returns may be made, such as Varosha and the Buffer Zone. The third scenario involves the annexation of the north with Turkey, which would boost Erdogan’s re-election in 2023, and which would eliminate any form of territorial adjustments. Politis reports that in view of all three scenarios, the weight will not fall so much on Anastasiades but on whoever assumes his role.