Front Page Headlines
Widespread rejection and… in the background presidential elections
The 6 ‘no’s that the president received leaving only DISY in power.
- Cyprus problem: Lute coming in the shadow of her contacts in Brussels
- USA: They’re ‘reconnecting’ their alliance with the EU
- Blow to tourism: The British chose safety
- Coronavirus: Sprint for the vaccination of 65%
Strategy to impress
Turkey is trying to win a positive agenda bypassing the Cyprus problem. Moves by Erdogan in Brussels ahead of the Summit
- He’s moving ahead with a reshuffle with choices outside of parties
PEO seeking eight axes of demands for workers
Lack of substantive intervention from the state and absence of protection measures.
- Cyprus problem: Concerning lanscape regarding the Cyprus problem and its prospects
- The President received three more ‘no’s… He’s moving forward with a reshuffle
- Everyone outside the Law Office today. They’re feeding institutional racism.
Second informal meeting unlikely
Foreign minister accuses Turkey of playing PR games to pacify the EU.
- Opposition parties say won’t take part in government
- Cyprus is not a tax haven says finance minister in interview
Deathblow to tourism
Boris Johnson cut the wings of our hoteliers. The UK Prime Minister moved deferred the lifting of restriction measures to July 19 resulting in the loss of another month for Cypriot tourism. Things are now extremely difficult, hoteliers say. Hoteliers are lowering curtains for the Whit Monday long weekend.
- AKEL is threatening the Presidency with war if Adamou is made Minister: The new Cabinet pushed back to July due to Anastasiades’ busy schedule
Main News
Lute to hold contacts in Cyprus on June 21
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The UN Secretary General’s (UNSG) Special Envoy on Cyprus Jane Holl Lute will be holding contacts on the island on June 21, the dailies report on Wednesday.
Politis reports that Lute will be arriving with low expectations, with the UN not expecting the second informal five-party summit to be held before September. Even so, Lute’s contacts are considered important in view of the reports to be submitted by the UNSG to the UN Security Council (UNSC) on his good offices mission and UNFICYP.
Cyprus Mail reports that Foreign Minister Nikos Christodouldes, who was asked by CyBC radio on Tuesday on the prospects for a second informal meeting on Cyprus, Christodoulides said “the point is not to have another informal 5+1 meeting for its own sake, but to have one with prospects for a positive outcome. Varosha is definitely an issue, plus Turkish conduct in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone.” Christodoulides added that before a second 5+1 can take place, the GC side must have indications that Turkey has dropped its demand for a two-state solution, Cyprus Mail reports.
KEY ACTORS
Christodoulides
>> A second 5+1 should not be held for the sake of it, but must have prospects of a positive outcome, with Varosha and EEZ of particular importance
>> Before a second 5+1 can take place, the GC side must have indications that Turkey has dropped its demand for a two-state solution
Mitsotakis briefs Anastasiades on meeting with Erdogan
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Politis
Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis briefed President Nicos Anastasiades on Tuesday on his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Brussels, with the dailies highlighting that the meeting did not yield any good news for the Cyprus problem.
Haravgi reports that a written statement by Government Spokesman Kyriakos Koushos said Anastasiades thanked Mitsotakis for the positions he laid before Erdogan regarding the necessity of solving the Cyprus problem on the basis of UN resolutions, but also regarding the avoidance of any actions that could constitute faits accomplis or create new barriers to a Cyprus solution.
Politis reports that contacts were also held by Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides with his Greek and German counter parts in an effort to get a clear picture on what came out of Ankara’s recent contacts. On its part, Politis reports, Cyprus attempted to send Turkey a message that a positive agenda with the EU depends on the termination of actions in Varosha.
In statements to CyBC on Tuesday, Christodoulides said Turkey is trying to convey the picture that all is well with their relations with Greece, Egypt and Libya, and that the problem is with Cyprus and the Greek Cypriots, Cyprus Mail and Alithia report. Christodoulides added that clearly this position cannot gain traction. He also said that it is clear that any developments in EU-Turkish relations depend on Turkey, noting that at this time the situation does not favour a positive response.
KEY ACTORS
Christodoulides
>> Turkey is trying to convey the picture that all is well with their relations with Greece, Egypt and Libya, and that the problem is with Cyprus and GCs, a position that cannot gain traction
>> Any developments in EU-Turkish relations depend on Turkey, but at this time the situation does not favour a positive response
Draft EUCO conclusions support comprehensive Cyprus solution
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Politis
EU Matters, Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The European Council “recalls its previous conclusions” and remains “fully committed to the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions”, the 27 EU member states note in the draft conclusions of the upcoming EU Summit sent to the 27 national delegations and seen by the Cyprus News Agency, the dailies report.
In the same draft text, the EU27 regret that the informal meeting in Geneva under the auspices of the UN did not pave the way for the resumption of the formal negotiations and reiterate that the EU will continue to play an active role in supporting the process.
The draft conclusions added that the European Council reverted to the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and the EU’s relations with Turkey, as agreed in March, and recalled the EU’s strategic interest in a stable and secure environment in the Eastern Mediterranean and in the development of a cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship with Turkey. It welcomes the continued de-escalation in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The text also said the European Council reiterates the EU’s readiness to engage with Turkey in a phased, proportionate, and reversible manner to enhance cooperation in a number of areas of common interest, subject to the conditionalities set out in March and in previous European Council conclusions.
Haravgi reports that Nicosia is seeking stronger references to the Cyprus problem and Varosha to be included in the final conclusions text. But the paper adds that Nicosia has yet to clarify the stance it will hold as regards the modernisation of the EU-Turkey customs union.
Turkey, north dismiss MED7 joint declaration
Haravgi, Philleftheros
Negotiations Process, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Tuesday dismissed a joint declaration issued by the MED7 Foreign Ministers, stating on Twitter that it has “no value and merits” for Ankara, while authorities in the north said the declaration does not reflect the realities of Cyprus, the dailies report.
The MED7 “advocates the maximalist claims and policies of the Greek Cypriot-Greek duo on Cyprus and Eastern Mediterranean” and cannot contribute to peace and stability and enhance cooperation in the region, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said. It added that a genuine cooperation environment cannot be achieved in the region without Turkey and the ‘TRNC’, and issued a fresh reminder of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s proposal for a regional conference on the Eastern Mediterranean.
On its part, the TC ‘foreign ministry’ said in response to the MED7 joint declaration that talks on a solution for a bizonal bicommunal federation (BBF) in Cyprus have been exhausted due to the refusal of the GC side to share power and wealth on the basis of equality. Talks on a federal solution, which the GC side has constantly rejected, serve to maintain the status quo, the ‘foreign ministry’ said according to Phileleftheros.
It added that at the Geneva 5+1, the TC side proposed out-of-the-box ideas as per the suggestion of the UN Secretary General (UNSG), and showed that it is ready for the establishment of a relationship of cooperation on the basis of an equal international status enjoyed by two states with sovereign equality. It also said that the north is an equal owner of the island and its natural resources and has submitted win-win cooperation proposals that are now on the table. However, it said, the GC side continues to ignore the legal rights of the north and Turkey and poses obstacles to the establishment of stability and wellbeing in the region with provocative actions.
The ‘foreign ministry’ added that the MED7 countries, in signing the joint declaration, are encouraging the maximalist approach of the GC side, Phileleftheros reports.
Relatives of missing persons ask Tatar to take initiative
Alithia, Phileleftheros
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The Pancyprian Organisation of the Relatives of Undeclared Prisoners and Missing Persons has sent an open letter to TC leader Ersin Tatar, urging him to undertake an initiative for the issue of the missing persons, the dailies report.
Recalling recent statements made by Tatar on the missing persons issue, the Organisation notes that the main problem that the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) is facing today is the lack of and difficulty to find specific information and data about the burial sites of missing persons and the sites where remains were moved from mass graves, as in the case of Assia, Lapatsa, Karavas and others, adding that “it would be naive to believe that they were not organised and that these data do not exist or cannot be easily found.”
It added that unfortunately until today this information has not been submitted to the CMP, despite the recommendations of the UN Secretary General (UNSG), the Council of Europe and the EU, who have repeatedly called on the parties involved to do so.
Noting that the information is there and that what is necessary now is humanitarian will, the Organisation called on Tatar to take initiative and arrange a meeting as soon as possible with President Nicos Anastasiades to exclusively discuss the issue of the missing and agree on specific and practical ways that will assist the CMP`s work so that the missing persons, GCs and TCs, are found without further delay.