Front Page Headlines
Turkey-EU commitment-based approach
Nicosia and Athens do not favour a head-on collision with Ankara at the present moment.
- The first ‘electronic’ eyes (road cameras): In Nicosia on a pilot basis
Explosion of rage at middle schools
Students to remain at home and their parents to head towards the Presidential Palace on Monday.They’re protesting against unfavourable discrimination and over problems since the start of the school year.
- Two new complaints of harassment by priest
- 107 reports of side-effects recorded in Cyprus: They involved all kinds of vaccines
- Pandemic: Patients to also be transferred to hospitals not in GESY
Experimentations and regressions deepening partition
President of partition if he does not return to the agreed-upon solution framework.
- Pandemic: Vaccination portal opening for people aged 66 and over. 364 new cases, 204 patients hospitalised
Vaccines: full speed ahead
After EMA backing for AstraZeneca, Cyprus’ programme kicks back into gear.
AKEL-DIKO: They can’t hide their disagreements
No agreement between the two parties on the Cyprus problem. Averof Neophytou: “There cannot be a solution without support from DISY-AKEL.” The convergence of opinions of DISY-AKEL on solution framework became clear again.
- Sanctions against Turkey becoming more distant
- Times-Daily Telegraph: Revelations of Russian attempt to interfere in British Bases in Cyprus
- Victoras: Irregular migrants in Cyprus at 4%, help requested from EU
- National Surveillance Report: Increase in positivity rate, particularly in Limassol
Main News
Anastasiades stresses importance of EU role at Geneva summit
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
EU Matters, Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
President Nicos Anastasiades on Friday stressed the important role the EU can play during the informal conference on the Cyprus issue that will take place next month in Geneva, the dailies report.
In a teleconference convened by the President of the European Council with leaders of EU member states ahead of the EUCO summit next week, Anastasiades spoke extensively of the important role the EU has to play, as well as to the need for Turkey to adopt the same constructive stance as the Greek Cypriot side for the resumption of the negotiation process.
The teleconference was also attended by Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen, Prime Minister of Latvia Krišjānis Kariņš, Primer Minister of Slovakia Igor Matovič and Prime Minister of Slovenia Janez Janša.
The president said Turkey should avoid violating the rights of the Republic at sea, and terminating its actions in the fenced off area of Varosha in Famagusta, which are in violation of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. He also pointed out that any discussion on a positive agenda between the EU and Turkey should depend on the country’s behaviour in various aspects, including the Cyprus problem.
Anastasiades also highlighted the need for Turkey to fully comply with its obligations on migration, as he reiterated the disproportionate burden placed on Cyprus by migration flows as a front-line EU Member State.
Meanwhile, in an op-ed published in Euractiv on Friday, Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides said the EU “needs to take its seat at the table” and establish a clear path to resolution and peace on its own soil, Cyprus Mail reports.
The dailies also report that on Friday, the Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and EU chiefs discussed eastern Mediterranean tensions, Turkey-EU ties, and upcoming Cyprob talks in a video call ahead of the EUCO summit. Phileleftheros reports that an announcement issued by the Presidents of the European Commission and European Council said the EU stressed the need for consistent de-escalation and boosting the building of trust, allowing a more positive agenda to emerge in EU-Turkey relations. Cyprus Mail writes that Erdogan told the EU leaders that “realistic and new” options should be discussed at next month’s UN-brokered talks on Cyprus.
Alithia reports that an EU decision in favour of sanctions against Turkey is becoming a more distant scenario, largely due to an improved climate with Greece and a pause on provocations in the Cypriot EEZ.
Politis reports in all his contacts with EU partners and officials, Anastasiades is highlighting the position that the EU and member states cannot be expecting Nicosia to consent to the adoption of a positive agenda with Turkey while Ankara continues to refuse to allow the EU to take a seat at the informal five-party summit on the Cyprus problem. The paper writes that Nicosia believes that by putting more weight on this position will make it difficult for Turkey to continue blocking the participation of the EU in Geneva.
However, Politis reports that neither Nicosia nor Athens aren’t pursuing to create a tense climate in EU-Turkey relations given the ongoing exploratory talks between Turkey and Greece and the upcoming Cyprob processes. The paper writes that the position of the two countries, which has found agreement to a large extend among other member states, is that a positive agenda in EU-Turkey relations must be clarified but must be adopted at a later date, which may potentially be at the EUCO in June. Additionally, Greece and Cyprus are requesting that the report to be submitted by the EU High Representative Josep Borrell lists additional measures that could potentially be taken against Turkey if it resumes provocations. The only area in which actions may be taken immediately is migration, Politis reports.
Politis reports that against this backdrop, the role of the US is crucial. The paper reports that ahead of the EUCO in March, the US Foreign Minister will be participating in the North Atlantic Council (NAC) at the level of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and will have a chance to discuss matters with EU member states as well as with the Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen and Borrell in particular.
Meanwhile, the papers report on a House plenum held on Friday that was dedicated to discussing the Cyprus problem and the GC side’s stance at the upcoming Geneva summit. Alithia reports that the plenum showed the convergence in opinion among AKEL and DISY, both of which support a bizonal bicommunal federation (BBF) with political equality, but also the chasm between those two largest parties with almost all other parties, some of which reject a BBF solution, past convergences, and political equality. Cyprus Mail reports that the plenum ultimately failed to agree on a resolution supporting Anastasiades, which was withdrawn by AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou.
Cyprus Mail reports that DISY leader Averof Neophytou called for unity and support for Anastasiades’ efforts and called for “patriotic realism”, stressing that as time passes the quest for the ideal solution becomes more difficult. On his part, Kyprianou said that if Anastasiades handles the situation correctly and forces Turkey to return to the agreed solution framework, his party will be assuming its “historical responsibility and support the process,” otherwise Anastasiades will be recorded as the “leader of the partition.” Both party leaders agreed on the huge risks of a Turkish settlement of Varosha if positive developments are not achieved.
DIKO leader Nicolas Papadopoulos said what is now being pursued through a loose federation is in fact a confederation, calling for a unitary state based on a federal model “but with the right content.” He said his party accepts political equality as described in the relevant UN resolution “without veto, without ‘one positive vote’, without ‘numerical equality’.”
EDEK, Citizens’ Alliance, Solidarity, and ELAM warned against the dangers of the Geneva meeting, which they said will only serve to facilitate Turkey’s claims.
KEY ACTORS
Anastasiades (Roc)
>> EU has important role to play at 5+1
>> Turkey must adopt same constructive stance as GC side as regards resumption of talks, and must terminate provocations on Cyprus land (Varosha) and sea
>> Any discussion on an EU-Turkey positive should depend on Turkey’s behaviour in various aspects, including the Cyprus problem
Christodoulides (Roc)
>> EU must take seat at 5+1 table
Erdogan (Turkey)
>> Realistic and new options should be discussed in Geneva
Neophytou (DISY)
>> Patriotic realism, unity and support for Anastasiades’ efforts is needed
>> As time passes the quest for the ideal solution becomes more difficult
Kyprianou (AKEL)
>> If Anastasiades handles the situation correctly and forces Turkey to return to the agreed solution framework, AKEL will assume its historical responsibility and support the process
>> If talks fail Anastasiades will be recorded as the leader of partition
AKEL&DISY
>> Solution sought is BBF with political equality
>> Failure to achieve positive results at upcoming talks will lead to Turkish settlement of Varosha
Papadopoulos (DIKO)
>> What is now being pursued through a loose federation is in fact a confederation
>> Solution must be a unitary state based on a federal model but with the right content
>> DIKO accepts political equality as described in the relevant UN resolution – without veto, without one positive vote, and without numerical equality
UK paper reports Russia engaged in ‘electronic warfare’ in Akrotiri
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi
External Security
The papers report on an article by the British news outlet The Times which claims that Russia is understood to have engaged in “electronic warfare” against RAF aircraft taking off from the Akrotiri British base in Cyprus.
The Times quoted military intelligence sources as saying that: “Russia has been trying to jam planes taking off, which is all part of its sub-threshold activity.”
An integrated review published this week identified Russia as the “most acute threat” to UK security, Cyprus Mail reports. Reports identified that attempts were made to interfere with satellite communications of the A400M transport aircraft leaving RAF Akrotiri while troops were on board.
“The attacks could have prevented the pilot from knowing where the aircraft was or the direction it was flying in and potentially resulted in casualties. None of the attempts was successful. The only two hostile states close enough to try to jam the signals were Syria and Russia, with Russia understood to be the only country capable of doing so,” The Times reported, according to Cyprus Mail.