Front Page Headlines
Pre-election campaign without arguments
The road toward the ballot box filled with name-calling, slogans, and sterile dispute.
- Palestine: Erdogan firing ‘rockets’ against Biden
- ‘Golden’ passports: Real estate agents to also be checked
- President: Optimistic over tourism
- Economy: Toward a 5% recovery in 2021
- Paphos: The biggest revamp project
Slap from Auditors
EU Audit Summit and Audit Services support Odysseas and warning the Government. “Every attempt to obstruct the Audit Service goes against the core principles of the EU and the EU acquis.”
- Lead role for Washington: Anastasiades is requesting via letter an intervention by Joe Biden
- No signs of de-escalation of bloodshed in Gaza
- Optimistic message for tourism
- Which projects will be funded by the Recovery Fund
DISY government slapped by EU audit bodies
The Audit Summit identifies obstruction of checks for ‘golden’ passports.
- World: The Israeli army has ‘thousands more targets’ in Gaza
- Veil of uncertainty over the summer tourist season
- Communal co-habitation of foreigners in dreadful living conditions
First round of jab slots is completed
Aim to vaccinate 65% with first dose by end of June is on track, says minister
- Anastasiades, Petrides defend recovery scheme
Anastasiades requesting Biden’s intervention
Open possibility of veto against Turkey. “The convening of a new five-party should not be taken for granted if Turkey insists on a two-state solution.” He’s indirectly confirming Britain’s manoeuvres in Geneva.
- Johnson’s ‘no’ for tourism to Cyprus: Ugly surprise from the British Prime Minister
- In Turkey: They’re looking for a Greek Turkish Airlines pilot with an… EOKA tattoo
- Diplomatic fever: Ankara wants a ‘peace’ force in Jerusalem
- Health Minister: Vaccinations picking up speed
Main News
Anastasiades asks Biden to take more prominent Cyprob role
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
President Nicos Anastasiades has written to US President Joe Biden concerning the Cyprus problem, highlighting the negative attitudes of the Turkish and the Turkish Cypriot sides and requesting that the US take on a more prominent role in Cyprus problem peace efforts, the dailies report.
Anastasiades revealed the move in an interview with ANT1, released on Monday night. Phileleftheros reports citing information that in his letter, Anastasiades briefed Biden on developments at the informal meeting in Geneva and outlined the reasons for which the Turkish side’s positions cannot be accepted.
Anastasiades said during the interview that he has a warm relationship with Biden and thanked him for his most recent statements on Cyprus, in which the US leader said that he has not given up on finding a solution to the problem.
Phileleftheros reports that the US is considered the player that could push the Cyprus problem process so that talks could resume within the UN framework. It is for this reason that Anastasiades drafted a different letter for Biden than the one sent to UN Security Council (UNSC) and EU member states.
Anastasiades also said in the interview that he has requested an informal three-party meeting with TC leader Ersin Tatar and UN Secretary General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres. The UNSG has so far not responded, Anastasiades said.
He also expressed doubts that the UN would call another five plus one informal meeting like the one held in Geneva at the end of April, noting that if the UNSG rushes into things then the new informal 5+1 will also be doomed to fail, Phileleftheros reports. Alithia reports that Anastasiades said that the convening of a new 5+1 should not be taken for granted as long as Turkey insists on a two-state solution.
Alithia reports that Anastasiades also indirectly confirmed Britain’s backstage maneuverers as well as the UNSG’s comment that sovereignty stems from the base (two communities) first. The paper also writes that Anastasiades said that a positive agenda with Turkey cannot be achieved at the June EUCO if Turkey continues to insist on its current Cyprus problem stance, with Alithia noting that he left open the possibility of vetoing the upcoming process.
Alithia reports that in statements from his visit to the Larnaca Airport on Tuesday, Anastasiades said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s comment regarding the preservation of Turkish troops and guarantees on the island is nothing new but also leads nowhere, since it is not accepted by any member of the international community, including EU member states.
Meanwhile, the dailies report on statements issued by Tatar, who highlighted that the Cyprus problem process is a critical point after the submission of his proposal for a two-state solution, noting that Turkey’s support and presence is crucial. Tatar also said that striking a deal will be difficult as long as Cyprus continues to be perceived as a Greek island.
KEY ACTORS
Anastasiades
>> Enjoys warm relationship with Biden, whose stronger role in Cyprob processes could prove useful
>> Has doubts regarding a second informal 5+1 meeting
>> Positive agenda with Turkey cannot be achieved at June EUCO if Turkey continues to insist on its current Cyprob stance
>> Erdogan’s claims regarding the preservation of Turkish troops & guarantees nothing new but also going nowhere since they are unacceptable for the international community
Tatar
>> Cyprob process is a critical point after the submission of his proposal for a two-state solution in Geneva
>> Turkey’s support and presence critical
>> Striking a deal will be difficult as long as Cyprus continues to be perceived as a Greek island
Technical Health Committee to discuss crossings this week
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
CBMs
OVERVIEW
Efforts are underway for a meeting of the bicommunal Technical Committee on Health to discuss the crossings, GC co-chair of the Committee Leonidas Phylactou said on Tuesday.
Phylactou told the Cyprus Mail that efforts are underway for the Committee to meet soon, possibly within the week, to discuss ways for allowing the resumption of crossings between the two sides. Haravgi reports that TC daily Yeniduzen noted that the Technical Committee is expected to meet later this week, while Politis pinpoints the day to Friday. Efforts being undertaken by the Committee have the support of both leaders, the dailies report citing Yeniduzen.
The GC side had submitted in the past a proposal concerning rapid testing at the crossings or to allow people cross with a negative PCR test not older than 72 hours to cross. Phylactou told the Cyprus Mail that the Committee is expected to discuss this proposal or others their TC counterparts might submit.
Politis reports citing sources that for the time being, conditions expected to be tabled by the Committee to assess the possibility of reopening crossings will not include progress in the vaccination programmes underway on both sides. Cyprus Mail reports that there has been pressure in the north by political parties and business circles for the TC side to normalise crossings again. TC authorities argued this would be possible when the epidemiological conditions, especially the situation in the government-controlled areas, allow.
The dailies report on the results of a survey announced this week, which showed that 82% of people in the north want the crossing points to reopen. The survey was carried out in the north by Metron polling company. In total 650 people were canvassed about what they think of the normalisation of the crossings. More than eight in 10 (82%), said they were in favour of normalisation of the situation as opposed to 13% who objected to the reopening of the crossings.
EU enlargement chief calls on Turkey to maintain de-escalation
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
EU Matters
OVERVIEW
The EU will use all means to defend its interests if Turkey retreats from the de-escalation of recent months and does not heed the call of the European Council, the EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi said Tuesday.
Varhelyi told lawmakers at the European Parliament during a debate on “2019-2020 Progress reports on Turkey” before the scheduled vote on Wednesday on a resolution that will determine the way forward in EU-Turkey accession negotiations that relations with Turkey were strained in recent years for a number of reasons. Varhelyi said include the tense situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea and developments in Cyprus, in particular the actions around Varosha and Turkish positioning in favour of a two-state solution in breach of UN Security Council resolutions. Varhelyi also noted Turkey’s continued backsliding on reforms, democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights.
However, he said, recent months have seen a de-escalation in the Eastern Mediterranean, the resumption of bilateral talks between Greece and Turkey and of the informal talks on the Cyprus problem in Geneva, calling on Turkey to sustain this constructive trend. But Varhelyi also stressed that this de-escalation on the foreign policy front has not been accompanied by a positive momentum when it comes to domestic reforms.
On migration, Varhelyi called on Turkey to resume returns of irregular migrants from Greece to Turkey without delay, and to avoid the opening of alternative routes as well as to further reduce arrivals of irregular migrants to Cyprus.
Outlining the contents of the report, rapporteur on Turkey MEP Nacho Sanchez Amor said the report calls on the Turkish government to change its anti-EU rhetoric and to ameliorate the anti-democratic domestic trends.
KEY ACTORS
Varhelyi (EU)
>> EU will use all means to defend its interests if Turkey resumes escalation
>> EU-Turkey relations were strained in recent years for several reasons, including tensions in EastMed & Aegean, developments in Cyprus and particularly in Varosha and two-state solution proposal which is in breach of UNSC resolutions
>> On the positive side are the recent de-escalation in Eastern Mediterranean, resumptio n of Greece-Turkey bilateral talks and Cyprob 5+1
>> Turkey should avoid opening alternative migration routes and should further reduce arrivals of irregular migrants to Cyprus