Front Page Headlines
European balancing acts for Turkey
Intense back stage until the last minute for the joint statement of the EU 27.
- Debts to the state: New regulations being prepared
- Murder of foreign woman: They tried to burn her with flammable liquid
- Despite pressure from those involved: The names of the 22 PEPs with ‘red’ loans illuminated
- Asset declaration: From investigative committee to investigative committee
- Polis road: Historic moment, signatures falling
Serious consequences for children
Scientists raising the alarm: The strategy for dealing with the pandemic must change. Constantinos Tsioutis and Constantinos Fellas overturn the narrative of extended closure.
- German life vest again toward Ankara: Borrell also annoyed by interventions
- Architectural school to change the city
- They had her buried for five months near the ‘Kalispera’ traffic lights
Joint action by GC and TC for prevent the partition of the island
Important contacts by the AKEL Secretary General A. Kyprianou with Akinci, Ozyigit and Izcan.
- Disagreements over the second draft too. Decisions today by the ’27’
- Cheesemakers warning of interruption in production of halloumi
‘Turkey mustn’t get an easy ride’
Ahead of Council meeting, Greece and Cyprus want a ‘dual approach’ from the EU
AKEL kicking!
The opposition party does not want the publication of Odysseas’ report with loans of politically exposed persons – Strong presence of names of AKEL members. The ball in the plenum’s court, which is set to decide on the publication of the list on April 2 as happened with the Yiorkadji list – MPs take hits at Odysseas Michaelides.
- Message by Mitsotakis-Anastasiades: EU participation in five-party
- Tax Commissioner: Uncollected taxes amount to €2.4-2.5 billion, only a portion can be collected
- Transport Minister: Airports ready to receive flights and tourists
- Murder of woman: Puzzle being completed
Main News
Anastasiades, Mitsotakis discuss Cyprob, EUCO draft conclusions
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
EU Matters, Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
President Nicos Anastasiades and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday they had agreed that the joint conclusions of the European Council meeting this week should be in line with report on EU-Turkey relations drafted by the EU Foreign Policy chief Josep Borrell, the dailies report.
Anastasiades and Mitsotakis were speaking after they met in Athens where the Cypriot President travelled to attend the 200th anniversary events to mark Greek independence. Anastasiades said there was a convergence of views between Nicosia and Athens on the European Council agenda where EU-Turkey relations are the main focus, the dailies report.
Calling for the joint conclusions to be in line with the Borrell text, which sets positive Cyprob developments as a central condition for improved EU-Turkey relations, Anastasiades said he hopes consensus will be reached that will allow Ankara to reflect that if it wants to keep peace with the EU, it must accept the EU’s conditions for peace to prevail in the Mediterranean.
Anastasiades said despite some walkbacks by Ankara, Turkish provocations remain an issue for Cyprus, especially the ongoing opening up of Varosha, which is contrary to UN resolutions. He said he and Mitsotakis had also discussed the upcoming five-party conference on Cyprus to take place in Geneva next month. Anastasiades said the GC side’s position would not deviate from UN parameters and EU principles. Alithia reports that Anastasiades said the goal is a fair, viable and functional solution that will safeguard the interests of both communities.
Alithia reports that the two leaders agreed on the need for the EU to participate at the informal Geneva meeting to be held in late April, as well as the need for Ankara’s stance to not stray from the goal of resuming negotiations on the basis of UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and EU principles.
Mitsotakis in his comment stressed the need for Thursday’s EUCO summit to insist on a dual approach towards Turkey. It is up to Turkey to continue the de-escalation in the Eastern Mediterranean and to prove that this is not a manoeuvre, said Mitsotakis, noting that he hopes that Turkey stays on a European path. Otherwise, there should be sanctions, he said. Mitsotakis stressed that the goal was to resume negotiations on the Cyprus issue on the basis of the bi-zonal bicommunal federation (BBF) and UNSC resolutions, adding that claims for a two-state solution are outside the framework of the EU and the UN and are rejected.
Mitsotakis said Greece seeks good relations with its neighbours, always with open communication channels, but only for a sincere dialogue based on international law, the rules of peaceful coexistence and good neighbourliness, without threats, without challenges, without aggressive actions.
Politis reports that deliberations were ongoing on Wednesday for the reshaping of the joint conclusions which will be tabled before EU leaders at Thursday’s EUCO, with discussions leading to certain revisions. Despite objections to the first draft raised by certain member states including Cyprus, which wants the Cyprus problem front and centre in the direction to be taken by EU-Turkey relations, Politis reports that a number of member states including Germany, Italy and Spain are pushing for the adoption of a more positive approach in the final conclusions text to make way for a positive agenda.
The paper reports that diplomatic sources claim that this rush to ensure a positive approach is linked with the economic concerns Turkey is facing which may affect EU companies and capital. Politis reports some 20 member states are constantly suggesting improvements to the draft conclusions text on the conditions Turkey must meet to unlock a positive agenda, with migration a key issue that could get the ball rolling.
Phileleftheros reports that in an invitation letter addressed to EU leaders ahead of Thursday’s EUCO, the President of the European Council Charles Michel said the EU27 will examine the enhancement of EU-Turkey relations with a gradual, conditional, and reversible way.
Phileleftheros also reports on the reaction of political parties to developments in EU-Turkey relations. The paper reports on strong criticism mounted by DIKO over the prospects of sanctions against Turkey becoming all the more distant due to the ineffective and non-assertive diplomacy by Anastasiades and the DISY government. The party said that only through forcing Turkey to deal with the serious political and financial cost of sanctions will it back down. EDEK also expressed concern over the content of the draft conclusions, which it says seeks to deepen and economic ties but refrains from mentioning sanctions and Turkey’s provocative behaviour in Famagusta and in Cyprob solution efforts.
Citizens’ Alliance said that without the Republic’s consent, a positive agenda and the gifts that it entails cannot be adopted with Turkey. The party said that if a positive agenda is adopted Turkey will only be rewarded for its aggressive and provocative behaviour. The Greens raised the alarm over Turkey’s provocative claims, and called for a fair, viable and functional solution to the Cyprus problem.
KEY ACTORS
Anastasiades
>> If Turkey wants better relations with EU, it must accept the EU’s conditions for peace to prevail in the Mediterranean
>> GC side’s position will not deviate from UN parameters and EU principles, with the goal being a fair, viable and functional solution that will safeguard the interests of both communities
Mitsotakis (Greece)
>> EUCO summit must insist on a dual approach towards Turkey, which must prove its commitment to de-escalation and the EU path, otherwise sanctions should be imposed
>> Goal is to resume Cyprob negotiations on BBF and UNSC resolutions basis
>> Claims for a two-state solution are outside the framework of the EU and the UN and are rejected
DIKO
>> Prospects of sanctions against Turkey becoming all the more distant due to the ineffective and non-assertive diplomacy by Anastasiades and the DISY government
>> Only through forcing Turkey to deal with the serious political and financial cost of sanctions will it back down
EDEK
>> Draft conclusions text concerning, as it seeks to deepen and economic ties but refrains from mentioning sanctions and Turkey’s provocative behaviour in Famagusta and in Cyprob solution efforts
Citizens’ Alliance
>> Without the Republic’s consent, a positive agenda and the gifts that it entails, that only reward Turkey for its aggressive and provocative behaviour, cannot be adopted
Greens
>> Turkey’s provocations concerning, need for fair, viable and functional solution to the Cyprus problem
Cavusoglu discusses Cyprob with UK, US counterparts
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The dailies report on contacts held by Turkish Foreign Minister Melvut Cavusoglu in Brussels, with the Cyprus problem among topics discussed.
On Wednesday, Cavusoglu met with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, with the discussion focusing on a range of issues including bilateral relations and developments in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean. Politis reports that diplomatic sources said that on the Cyprus problem, Blinken conveyed that there can be no other solution than the agreed-upon basis of a BBF with political equality, in line with UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
The papers also report that Cavusoglu met with the UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, during which the informal five-party summit was discussed. Cavusoglu said in a tweet that he and Raab discussed what result they would like to see from the informal meeting in Geneva and how negotiations can resume. On his part, on a post on Twitter following the meeting Raab reiterated the UK’s call for flexibility from all sides.
The dailies report that in statements from Brussels, Cavusoglu said the EU can only participate as an observer once formal negotiations resume, noting that the Geneva will be informal. The papers write that Cavusoglu hinted that the EU representative will also not be in the room while negotiations are ongoing but will be in the next room, as was the case in Burgenstock. Cavusoglu also reiterated his call for the EU to become an impartial mediator rather than supporting the actions of the GC side and Greece which he said exclude the rights of TCs and Turkey.
Alithia reports that Cavusoglu also said that Turkey is undertaking efforts for a permanent solution to Cyprob, stressing that Turkey knows exactly what it wants. He said that together with the TCs, they will participate at the Geneva meeting constructively and table their position clearly.
KEY ACTORS
Cavusoglu (Turkey)
>> EU can only participate as an observer once formal negotiations resume, not at the informal Geneva summit
>> EU must become an impartial mediator rather than supporting the actions of the GC side and Greece which exclude the rights of TCs and Turkey
>> Turkey is undertaking efforts for a permanent solution to Cyprob
>> Turkey will participate at Geneva meeting with constructive approach and will table position clearly
AKEL leader meets with TC political parties
Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process
AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou met on Wednesday with TC politicians to discuss the Cyprus problem ahead of the informal five-party meeting to be held in Geneva in late April, the dailies report.
Kyprianou met with former TC leader Mustafa Akinci, representatives of the Communal Democracy Party (TDP) headed by Cemal Ozyigit, and the leader of the United Cyprus Party (BKP) Izzet Izcan.
In statements following the meetings, Kyprianou said that he and his interlocutors shared the common understanding that the results of the Geneva meeting will define the Cyprus’ future prospects and will determine the lives of all communities hosted on the island. Kyprianou reiterated his call for a bi-zonal bicommunal federation (BBF) with political equality, as defined in UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, and called on the TC leader Ersin Tatar and Turkey to abandon their unacceptable claims, as well as on President Nicos Anastasiades to remain consistent in his pursuit for a BBF solution. A positive result from the Geneva meeting can come through Anastasiades taking initiatives to force Turkey and Tatar to return to the agreed-upon solution framework of a BBF with political equality, Kyprianou said.
The AKEL leader said that during his meetings with TC political figures, the decision was taken whereby all parties, organisations and movements from both sides of the island seeking a BBF solution will undertake initiatives to send a clear message to the two leaders. The message, Kyprianou said, is that Cyprus and its people cannot be partitioned and must be reunited.
Haravgi reports that on his part, Izcan said a two-state solution in Cyprus is not feasible, noting that it’s a shame that after Crans-Montana Anastasiades made serious errors which led to three years being lost. He said that those who today believe in a BBF must fight for this together.
Ozyigit expressed concern over the claim for sovereign equality being put forward by Turkey and Tatar, but also over the shifting stance of Anastasiades, who he said manoeuvres between different solution framework in an attempt to peg Turkey as the intransigent party, Haravgi reports. Ozyigit stressed the need for a common undertaking and cooperation between the forces of both sides of the island in order to secure a positive result at Geneva, and called for a joint announcement and a joint event.
Meanwhile, Alithia and Phileleftheros report that DISY leader Averof Neophytou held a video call with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Matthew Palmer. The two exchanged thoughts on the need for deepen bilateral relations, on the broader situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and on the upcoming Cyprus problem processes.
Phileleftheros reports that Neophytou welcomed the US’ clear stance against Turkey’s illegal activities in the Cypriot and Greek EEZ, and said that the Republic has always sought the support of the US in the UN-led efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem. Neophytou also said he welcomed the US’ clear position in favour of a BBF, as well as the country’s intention to get involved in peace efforts on a diplomatic level. Phileleftheros reports that Neophytou also met with the former Foreign Minister Ioannis Casoulides on Wednesday to discuss the upcoming Cyprob developments.
KEY ACTORS
Kyprianou (AKEL)
>> Results of Geneva meeting will define the Cyprus’ future prospects and will determine the lives of all communities hosted on the island
>> Solution must be a BBF with political equality according to UNSC resolutions
>> TC leader and Turkey must abandon their unacceptable claims and Anastasiades must remain consistent in his pursuit for a BBF solution
>> All supporting BBF solution on both sides of island must join forces and send clear message to leaders
Izcan (BKP)
>> Two-state solution not feasible
>> It’s a shame that after Crans-Montana Anastasiades made serious errors which led to three years being lost
Ozyigit (TDP)
>> Both the claims being tabled by Tatar and Turkey, and Anastasiades’ shifting stance regarding sought-after solution (in order to peg Turkey as intransigent party) are concerning
>> Need for a common undertaking and cooperation between BBF-supporting forces of both sides in order to secure a positive result at Geneva