Front Page Headlines
Statements on AstraZeneca ‘vaccinating’ with concern
The EMA’s decision will be issued today on the relationship of the vaccine with thrombosis, which will determine our vaccination plan.
- European Union-Turkey: Many ‘carrots’… but also open fronts
New shock for AstraZeneca
Statement bomb from the head of vaccines in Europe. Links vaccine with thrombosis. Countries’ vaccination plan at risk. Blow to the public’s trust.
- They went to Erdogan with gifts and conditions
- New sanctions on Turkey from State Department for S400
- Mitsotakis: We should erase the Turkey-Libya memorandum
- The Archive of Tassos Papadopoulos reveals what was behind the scenes of the historic national address: How it was prepared, which foreigners intervened
- Ultimatum to State Health Services Organisation from all hospitals
- New road map for GESY services
EU looking forward to the Five-party in the role of active observer
Meeting of long duration between Tayyip Erdogan, Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel.
- British Minister in Nicosia just before the Five-party
- Looting of 330 Turkish Cypriot properties by Paphos Municipality
- Unemployed rise by 25%. One thousand new unemployed every fifteen days
- IMF: Recovery of Cyprus economy will come at a much slower pace
- Any news on AstraZeneca today or Friday
EU ‘committed’ to Cyprus talks
Commission and Council president offer support after meeting Erdogan
- Tourists to use special form if can’t send SMS, same restrictions apply
- Link found between AZ vaccine and blood clots in brain
Turkey’s good relations with the EU pass through Cyprus and Greece
Von der Leyen and Michel with carrot and stick to Erdogan. The European officials highlighted to the Turkish president the need for the EU to participate as an ‘active observer’ in the resumption of talks for the resolution of the Cyprus problem. Anastasiades: Veto if Turkey doesn’t meet its obligations.
- 1Cyprus: Online collection of signatures for reunification solution
- USA: Specialises sanctions against Turkey for S400s
- Philokypros Rousounides: With forms and not SMS the movements of tourists in Cyprus
- New shock for AstraZeneca
Main News
Michel: EU to participate in Cyprob talks as active observer
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
EU Matters, Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The EU remains committed to the relaunch of the Cyprus settlement talks and fully supports the UN-led process as an active observer, European Council President Charles Michel said on Tuesday after meeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, the dailies report.
Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen were in Turkey for a meeting with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Michel said the EU’s strategic interest remains a stable and secure environment in the Eastern Mediterranean and a mutually beneficial and positive relationship with Turkey, but said that at the same time, “we are determined to defend EU and member states’ interests and to promote our values.
On the upcoming informal summit on Cyprus scheduled to be held in Geneva at the end of the month, Michel said the EU, as an active observer, EU fully supports the UN-led process is looking forward to the informal meeting.
He added that in recent months there has been a de-escalation as regards Turkey’s behaviour in the region. This is a positive development, he said, which must be sustained and enhanced. Michel said Erdogan was told that the EU is ready to put a concrete and positive agenda on the table, based on three pillars: economic cooperation, migration, and people-to-people contacts and mobility, with the EU’s engagement to be progressive, proportional and reversible. He said he hoped Turkey will seize this window of opportunity, adding that progress will be assessed at the European Council meeting in June.
Von der Leyen said the European Commission will soon make a proposal to Turkey to ensure the flow of funding for refugees, adding that Europe wants much better relations with Ankara but that it is still early. She added that Ankara’s adherence to a 2016 migrant agreement would be a major show of goodwill.
Von der Leyen said respect for fundamental rights and rule of law are crucial and that she was deeply worried about Turkey’s decision last month to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, which aims to protect women from violence.
The dailiesreport that an EU official in a briefing of the press in Brussels said both EU Presidents made clear to Erdogan that the EU must be on the Cyprus negotiating table, noting that this is extremely important for EU member states. The paper notes however that the official avoided passing on Turkey’s response on the matter, stating instead that both sides might not have agreed on everything but did share an open dialogue.
Phileleftheros reports that before his meeting with Erdogan, Michel met with the US Ambassador to Turkey, which indicates that there was coordination between Brussels and Washington on the approach to be taken with Anakara. The paper writes that both the EU and the US want to see Turkey contribute to the stabilisation of the Eastern Mediterranean region.
KEY ACTORS
Michel (EU)
>> EU remains committed to the relaunch of the Cyprus settlement talks and fully supports the UN-led process as an active observer
>> EU’s strategic interest remains a stable and secure environment in the Eastern Mediterranean and a mutually beneficial and positive relationship with Turkey, but EU is also determined to defend its and member states’ interests and values
>> Recent de-escalation by Turkey is a positive development which must be sustained and enhanced
>> EU ready to put a concrete and positive agenda on the table, with the EU’s engagement to be progressive, proportional and reversible
Anastasiades says ‘not optimistic’ in view of two-state solution claims
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
In an interview on Monday with Greek television ERT, President Nicos Anastasiades underlined his determination to take part in the informal conference on Cyprus in Geneva, but said claims for a two-state solution and sovereign equality do not allow him to be too optimistic.
Politis reports Anastasiades said he is prepared to participate with goodwill in a truly creative dialogue that will create prospects for the continuation of talks for a settlement from the point they left off in Crans-Montana. Anastasiades said peace talks so far have achieved a number of convergences, such as the legislative and judicial authority issues, but said significant issues are still pending, including the executive issue, property, territorial adjustments, the issues of guarantees and the presence of troops on the island, Cyprus Mail reports.
“Listening to positions expressed by the Turkish government and the Turkish Cypriot leader, that of two states, as well as sovereign equality the way they interpret it, I wouldn’t say I am optimistic,” Anastasiades said. Nonetheless, he would be going to the conference with a “positive attitude.”
Alithia reports Anastasiades added that he will be going to the conference with the hope that discussions there will create the conditions that will overturn any claims which do not have to do with the interests of Greek and Turkish Cypriots, but with the interests of Turkey.
Anastasiades urged Ankara to realise that its aim for two states is considered unacceptable by everyone, including the United States, Russia, China and other permanent and non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, as well as the EU.
The President stressed that Nicosia has made it clear it is interested in improving EU-Turkish relations on condition that provocative actions will not be repeated. This should be long-lasting, he added, noting that Cyprus will not hesitate to veto the customs union between the EU with Turkey if the latter does not keep its obligations toward member states.
On the matter of sanctions, Anastasiades said the endeavour is complicated by a number of EU member states who have economic interests in keeping the Turkish economy afloat, Alithia reports. Despite this, Anastasiades said Cyprus has managed to install the non-violation of the sovereign rights of Greece and the the non-repetition of aggressive behaviours against Cyprus as conditions for the adoption of a positive agenda in Euro-Turkish relations.
Phileleftheros reports that Anastasiades stressed that the US President Joe Biden’s recent statement, that he hasn’t given up on the Cyprus problem, gives him great hope, noting that any US interventions will be for the benefit of the region, as well as Cypriot and Greek interests.
Politis reports that the former Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci criticised Ankara for “grand lies and duplicity” on the island as regards its claim for a two-state solution. Akinci said Turkey is on the one hand preparing for Geneva by claiming that the north is an independent and sovereign ‘state’, while on the other hand intervening in ‘elections’ and the will of the people. Akinci stated that Erdogan does not recognise the sovereignty of Turkish Cypriots, adding that there is a plan for annexation.
The Cyprus problem and the Geneva meeting will be on the agenda when UK Minister for European Neighbourhood and the Americas Wendy Morton is on the island on Wednesday and Thursday. She will have separate meetings with Anastasiades, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar and Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides.
KEY ACTORS
Anastasiades
>> Prepared to participate with goodwill in a truly creative dialogue that will create prospects for the continuation of talks for a settlement from the point they left off in Crans-Montana
>> Peace talks so far have achieved a number of convergences, such as the legislative and judicial authority issues, but significant issues are still pending, including the executive issue, property, territorial adjustments, the issues of guarantees and the presence of troops on the island
>> Turkish and TC positions in favour of two states and sovereign equality do not allow for optimism, but will be going to the conference with a positive attitude
>> Hopes that discussions at 5+1 will create the conditions that will overturn any claims which do not have to do with the interests of Greek and Turkish Cypriots, but with the interests of Turkey
>> Ankara must realise that its aim for two states is considered unacceptable by everyone, including the United States, Russia, China and other permanent and non-permanent members of the UNSC, as well as the EU
>> Nicosia has made it clear it is interested in improving EU-Turkish relations on condition that provocative actions will not be repeated
>> Cyprus will not hesitate to veto the customs union between the EU with Turkey if the latter does not keep its obligations toward member states
>> Biden’s interest in Cyprob gives great hope; any US interventions will be for the benefit of the region, as well as Cypriot and Greek interests.
Akinci
>> Ankara spreading grand lies and is duplicitous as regards two-state solution – contradiction between promoting the north as an independent and sovereign ‘state’ while intervening in local ‘elections’
>> Erdogan does not recognise the sovereignty of Turkish Cypriots, rather there is a plan for annexation
New petition campaign calls for reunification on BBF basis
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
A campaign calling for online signatures to a petition in support of the reunification of Cyprus was launched on Tuesday, the dailies report.
The petition, addressed to President Nicos Anastasiades and co-signed by 150 well-known Cypriots, is hosted on the website 1Cyprus.eu and can be signed by citizens over 18.
The organisers of the 1Cyprus initiative, a group of five individuals, said they were exclusively motivated and guided by genuine concern for the future of Cyprus, “in view of the real danger of our country being permanently partitioned and running the future risk of the whole of Cyprus falling into the hands of Turkey.”
The only way to avert this danger was through reunification on the basis of UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and in accordance with the consensus reached at the Berlin meeting on 25 November 2019 between Anastasiades and then Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci.
The dailies report that the campaign’s text called for a termination of guarantees and the withdrawal of Turkish troops within a given timeline. The group also called for agreements that will create a feeling of security among both communities; mechanisms for potential impasses in the taking of federal decisions; and mechanisms for the monitoring of the implementation of a federal solution.
The group undertaking the initiative is made up of businessmen Phanos Epiphaniou and Andreas Matsis, advocate Eric Montanios, Christos Panayiotides and former Ambassador Pavlos Anastasiades. They took encouragement from an opinion poll, conducted by the University of Cyprus, that found 80 per cent of respondents supported reunification, Cyprus Mail reports.
During Tuesday’s presentation there were also video messages of support from former president George Vassiliou, former foreign minister Ioannis Kasoulides and Bishop of Constantia and Famagusta Vassilios, AKEL Cyprus problem expert Toumazos Tselepis, and co-president of the Bicommunal Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage Takis Hadjidemetriou.
In his video message Vassiliou said: “Today we are fighting tooth and nail to avert the opening of Famagusta under Turkish administration, the same with regard to the (withdrawal of) the UN peacekeeping force and more. For as long as no progress is made on a settlement, Turkey would seek the undermining of the Cyprus Republic.”
Kasoulides, in his video message, answered those that argued things should stay as they are because the status quo is better than a settlement. He dismissed this as “a pseudo-dilemma” because the “status quo does not stay the same but usually it changes and whatever changes is clearly against us.” He cited the example of the opening of Famagusta and “our weakness to exploit our EEZ,” while also referring to the possible withdrawal of UNFICYP.
The campaign promoting the petition is based on a visual concept put together by Telia and Pavla-BBDO ad agency. It draws the map of Cyprus minus the territories that will not be under the control of the Republic in the event of no reunification. The island’s map as depicted on the Cyprus flag is without the occupied area, the buffer zone and the British bases.
KEY ACTORS
Vassiliou
>> As long as no progress is made on a settlement, Turkey would seek the undermining of the Cyprus Republic
Kasoulides
>> Argument that status quo is better than a settlement is a pseudo-dilemma, since the status quo does not stay the same but usually it changes in ways that are against us. Varosha, EEZ, and possible withdrawal of UNFICYP are examples of this