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The big decision regarding universities
The Council of Ministers will determine the way students can return to physical teaching due to Covid-19.
- Tripartite-The background is of interest: They’re seeking a common role, reaching out to the US
- Ayios Dometios: He shot at the house of a neighbour with a G3 because he was making noise
He’s taking their passports
It’s time for decisions in the Council of Ministers regarding Tatar and other officials of the pseudo-state. A first reaction to Famagusta.
- FM: Discussions in Israel substantive
- He was shooting at the home and the car of his neighbour
Preparedness remains a question before the first school bell
Decisions are pending ahead of the new school year.
- Readiness to face challenges was expressed by Christodoulides, Dendias and Lapid
- The European Union should create a military ability to react, Borrell declares
Extension of anxiety for students-universities
A decision will be taken during the next meeting of the Council of Ministers. The government is giving a little bit more time so that the pandemic situation can clear up allowing for new deliberations. The return to primary, middle and high schools will be without change.
- Cyprus-Israel-Greece tripartite: They sent clear messages to Ankara
- Afghanistan crisis: The situations that made Erdogan seek cooperation with Greece
- At Ayios Dometios: He shot at his neighbour because he was making noise
Main News
Cyprus, Greece, Israel call for unity to address challenges
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus, Israel and Greece called for unity as a way of addressing current challenges and extended an invitation to more countries to join their alliance in view of building bridges of stability and prosperity for all, the dailies report.
The Foreign Ministers of Greece, Cyprus and Israel, Nikos Dendias, Nicos Christodoulides and Yair Lapid respectively, met in Jerusalem on Sunday to discuss regional developments and areas of possible cooperation such as wildfire control, the coronavirus pandemic and protection of the environment.
In a Twitter post, Christodoulides said the discussions he held in Israel were “forward-looking and substantive.” In addition to contacts held with his Greek and Israeli counterparts, Christodoulides also met with Israeli Energy Minister Karine Elharrar and Defense Minister Benny Gantz.
The dailies report that Christodoulides informed his colleagues about developments in Cyprus with Turkey’s illegal actions and provocations in Famagusta, and stressed that Turkey has to acknowledge that it stands to benefit from not being a bully in the region, and from abandoning its expansionist agenda, and respect international law.
Lapid said the three discussed key strategic issues on their shared agenda. He described the trilateral alliance as a “very strategic asset for us all. We strengthen our economy, our security, our international standing. And it is a key part of something bigger, a key part of a change that is happening in the region, a moderate, pragmatic and forward-looking alliance, a growing group of countries, working together with shared vision.”
Lapid added that the alliance includes the UAE, and Bahrain in the Gulf, Morocco in north Africa, Egypt and Jordan in the middle East, Cyprus and Greece in the Mediterranean, noting that others are joining all the time, “countries that care and do cooperate on energy, on innovation, on trade and development, on culture and tourism we support one another in times of crisis, we cooperate on the gas front and most important we have a shared vision for the future”.
Christodoulides said that broadening the alliance was very much a common assessment that was also made during the meeting held in Paphos in April, the first between the Foreign Ministers of Israel, Cyprus, Greece and the UAE. Planning is under way for a second meeting in this format with the UAE, and very possibly other countries of the wider region, he added. Christodoulides said that simultaneously, work is also advancing with a focus on project implementation between the three countries and the US. Alithia views the trilateral’s strong call for more countries to join the alliance as a strong message to Turkey.
Dendias referred to the “extremely worrying developments in the wider region”, where “we see a vicious circle” contrary to countries that promote peaceful coexistence, moderation, prosperity and international law. Instead, they promote “religious fanaticism, terrorism, an arc of fundamentalism.”
He remarked that “the Taliban consider Turkey an ally; they made a clear statement that Turkey is a friendly country. And Hamas, congratulated the Taliban. In addition, there are countries in our neighbourhood that, contrary to what we believe is even in the interest of their own societies, try to revive old empires and, even worse, old understandings. Literally buried in the sand of the past.”
Politis reports that all three countries are concerned about the power vacuum created by the US’ withdrawal from Afghanistan and its generally reduced involvement in the region, with Turkey appearing to be ready to jump in with a stronger role. In view of wanting to fill the gap created in the broader region, Politis reports that the three countries are pushing for a new meeting in October in Washington which will also see the participation of the US. The meeting will seek to find ways of seeing the trilateral alliance assume a more active role in the region.
In addition to the 3+1 set to be held soon with the UAE, Politis reports that a 4+1 is also being examined that would also include Morocco. The paper writes that the FMs also agreed to hold another trilateral meeting before the end of the year, but on the level of heads of state.
KEY ACTORS
Christodoulides
>> Turkey must acknowledge that it stands to benefit from not being a bully in the region, and from abandoning its expansionist agenda, and respect international law