Front Page Headlines
Nicholas and DIKO retreat
Under the powerful pressure of the pressure of the business world, state guarantees going toward a vote.
- Consecutive contacts by parties: Backrop climaxing for ‘5+1’
- M. Akinci: Anastasiades holds the key for the five-party
- Justice reform… left on the street: Government sees pre-election politics
- Hospitals suffocating: ICUs to ‘decide’ regarding relaxations and schools
Hospitalisations (hanging) from a thread
Public and private hospitals cannot coordinate for the treatment of patients. Someone must finally intervene, doctors are shouting.
- Dendias and Cavusoglu set rendezvous in Geneva
- Clashes on all matters in the political scene
- Uneasiness and frustration over vaccines in Europe: EU multiplying orders from Pfizer
- The Law to change after Yiolitis case: Road opening for cases involving online offences to be referred to Courts
- Justice reform put in the drawer by Parliament
Grey areas in the bill for state guarantees
Intervention by opposition parties for amendments and improvement.
- Covid-19: Beds filling – 232 patients, three dead, 602 cases
Vaccine doubts escalate in EU
Cyprus puts its newly arrived J&J shots in storage, cabinet to receive AZ jabs
Rough retreat by DIKO
State guarantees: It backed down in the face of the storm of reactions. When he got a taste of the furious reaction of society, Nicholas Papadopoulos made a 180 degree turn and announced he would support the bill, but wants Odysseas as an observer again. Other parties also laying down certain conditions. Averof: Party games of a handful of votes.
- He’s also talking about an intervention: Inflammatory statements by Erdogan on Libya, Cyprus
- Naturalisations: Intermediary findings going to the attorney general tomorrow
- For safe movement: ‘Yes’ from Coreper to digital green certificate
- Tourism: EasyJet- Sees us in Britain’s green list
- Coronavirus vaccines a mess
Main News
Contacts to intensify ahead of Geneva summit
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that during the days leading up to the informal five-party summit to be held in Geneva on April 27-29, a string of contacts are expected to be held by parties involved in the new UN-led initiative.
Phileleftheros reports that Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides described the period leading up the summit as critical. On Thursday, the Foreign Ministers of Cyprus, Greece and Lebanon will be holding a trilateral meeting in Athens, before the Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias departs for Ankara for a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Melvut Cavusoglu. On Friday, Cavusoglu will be visiting the north for a meeting with TC leader Ersin Tatar. Phileleftheros reports that Christodoulides said the coming period will also likely see a meeting between President Nicos Anastasides and the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens, and a ramping up of contacts between the Republic and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (UNSC).
Phileleftheros also reports on a meeting held between Mitsotakis and the President of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohamed al-Menfi in Athens on Wednesday, during which agreement was reached on the immediate resumption of talks to mark out the two countries’ maritime zones in the Mediterranean Sea.
In his statements, Christodoulides said the issue of EU participation in Geneva is expected to clear up during the final days before the informal summit, Phileleftheros reports. He added that the EU is rightly pushing to be present at the summit, given the constructive role it played during the last round of talks in Crans-Montana and in light of the fact that the Republic of Cyprus will continue to be a member state after a solution, but also in view of Turkey’s pursuit of a positive agenda with Brussels.
Politis reports that given the fact that Dendias will be departing for Ankara after the trilateral meeting to be held in Athens on Thursday, discussions at the trilateral meeting will also include Cyprus problem developments so that Dendias can pass along certain messages to Cavusoglu. The trilateral meeting’s agenda also includes the enhancement of cooperation, pandemic management, and EU-Lebanon cooperation, Politis reports. Phileleftheros nevertheless reports that talks between Dendias and Cavusoglu aren’t expected to delve too deeply into Cyprus problem-related matters, since the duo will be meeting in Geneva at the end of the month to focus specifically on the Cyprus issue.
Phileleftheros reports that given the divergent positions held on a range of issues, during Thursday’s meeting Dendias and Cavusoglu are expected to reiterate their standing positions as regards what the two countries consider national issues. Discussions are also expected to touch on matters relating to the EU, a chapter on which the paper writes Turkey is throwing all of its weight due to its economic situation.
The dailies report that on Friday, Cavusoglu is scheduled to fly into the north for a meeting with Tatar in view of preparing for the informal summit in Geneva. According to the dailies, in statements on Wednesday, Tatar said the GC side is pursuing ‘enosis’ with Greece via the EU. Alithia reports that Tatar said that the GC side does not wish to share its power and prosperity with TCs. He added that given current circumstances, UN parameters could be made to be more flexible or changed entirely, and reiterated his position in favour of a two-state solution with sovereign equality.
The dailies also report on statements issued by the general secretary of the National Unity Party (UBP) Oguzhan Hasipoglu, who said that a two-state solution serves to break with the current status quo, characterising the moves made in Famagusta, the EEZ, and ‘foreign policy’ to be of critical importance in this direction.
Alithia and Haravgi report that Erdogan also threatened a new intervention in Cyprus “if necessary” and announced new seismic explorations and drilling operations in areas falling under the maritime demarcation accord between Turkey and Libya. The paper reports that in response to Cyprus’ protestations over Turkey’s drilling activities in the Cyprus EEZ, Erdogan said Turkey will not allow the rights of north Cyprus to be usurped, warning that Turkey’s ships are ready to set sail. Erdogan said Turkey is not avoiding negotiations, but the country must be respected.
KEY ACTORS
Christodoulides
>> EU is rightly pushing to be present at 5+1, given the constructive role it played in Crans-Montana, the fact that the Republic of Cyprus will continue to be a member state post-solution, and in view of Turkey’s pursuit of a positive agenda with Brussels
Tatar
>> GC side pursuing enosis with Greece via EU
>> GC side does not wish to share power and prosperity with TCs
>> Firmly in favour of two-state solution with sovereign equality
Hasipoglu (UBP)
>> Two-state solution serves to break with status quo, in the direction of which developments in Famagusta, the EEZ, and ‘foreign policy’ are moving
Erdogan (Turkey)
>> Turkey will intervene anew in Cyprus if necessary
>> Turkey will not allow the rights of north Cyprus to be usurped
>> Turkey is not avoiding negotiations, but must be respected
Akinci: Positive outcome in Geneva unlikely if two sides remain firm
Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Former TC leader Mustafa Akinci said during an online discussion organised by the ‘Peace Decision’ initiative on Wednesday that if both sides stick to their current positions during the upcoming informal summit in Geneva, then chances for a positive outcome are slim, Politis reports.
Akinci said that currently, President Nicos Anastasiades continues to not accept political equality in its entirety and the TC side is insisting on moving beyond the scope of UN parameters, with this combination not leaving much room for optimism. Politis reports that Akinci also hinted that Anastasiades holds the key to dismantling attempts to change the solution basis, since if Anastasiades accepts political equality, and the effective participation it involves as agreed during the informal meeting in Berlin in November 2019, then attempts by Turkey and the TC side to legitimise their pursuits fall through. But, Akinci said, if any hesitancy continues to be shown as regards political equality, then a positive outcome is unlikely.
Akinci clarified that political equality, as agreed in 2019, involves numerical equality in certain chambers of the central government such as the Upper House, but not in other chambers such as the Lower House. He said it also involves a positive vote in the Cabinet on all decisions, a rotational presidency (four years for a GC president and two years for a TC president). Akinci said discussions held in 2019 had also almost agreed on a deadlock-breaking mechanism.
Akinci said there are two scenarios that are unacceptable for Cyprus: one is a solution that will result in TCs being treated as a minority and the second is a two-state solution with sovereign equality. He stated that he is not against a decentralisation of powers, as proposed by Anastasiades, but stressed that explanations are needed as to what this would entail, adding that a solution on this basis could be found swiftly if both sides are determined to secure a settlement. Akinci stated that for him, the only mutually acceptable solution is a bizonal bicommunal federation (BBF) with political equality, warning that if a solution is not found in the coming period then the north’s dependence on Turkey will only increase, while division and partition will solidify further.
Akinci also highlighted the importance for parties, NGOs and organisations on both sides to consistently exert efforts to push for a solution.
Meanwhil, Politis also reports that the newly registered party Famagusta for Cyprus held a meeting on Wednesday with the UN Secretary General’s (UNSG) special representative Elizabeth Spehar, to whom the party handed a letter addressed to UNSG Antonio Guterres. The letter calls on Guterres to exercise his influence in view of getting all parties involved in the Cyprus problem to accept and/or sign the Guterres Framework as an intermediary agreement that could then be used as a basis for reaching a final settlement agreement. Politis reports citing an announcement by the Famagusta for Cyprus initiative that Spehar gave a briefing of latest developments in the Cyprus issue, while a discussion was also held on matters relating to the upcoming Geneva summit. The initiative said it conveyed its positions on the Cyprus problem and highlighted the necessity of the Geneva summit constituting a positive step toward reaching a solution.
KEY ACTORS
Akinci
>> If GC side remains hesitant to accept full breadth of political equality, and TC side continues to seek a solution beyond UN parameters, then chances of positive outcome at 5+1 are slim
>> Agreement was almost reached in 2019 on a deadlock-breaking mechanism for the central government functioning with political equality
>> Two solution scenarios are unacceptable: one is a solution that will result in TCs being treated as a minority and the second is a two-state solution with sovereign equality
>> Not against Anastasiades’ proposal for decentralised federation, but clarification needed
>> Only mutually acceptable solution is a BBF with political equality
>> If a solution is not found in the coming period, north’s dependence on Turkey will increase, while division and partition will solidify further
Famagusta for Cyprus
>> UNSG should exert influence to get all parties to accept Guterres Framework as an intermediary agreement that could then be used as a basis for reaching a final settlement agreement
>> Geneva summit critical in creating conditions for securing a solution