Front Page Headlines
Irregular retreat into… populism
University of Cyprus and Health Ministry are ‘going with the waters’ of unvaccinated students.
- We let out the heat: They’re ‘talking’ through announcements
- Local government: They’re running to keep up with the timeline
Full speed ahead for a third dose
Regardless of the vaccine of the first two doses, the third will be mRNA technology.
- Open air confrontation over passports: Ready for TCs to come back to the Republic of Cyprus
- Foggy landscape for local government
New ‘ideastorm’ by Anastasiades for a return to the 1960 Constitution
Response to Tatar that passports are secured as a natural right that stems from the Treaties of Establishment.
- Cyprus like… the Virgin Island, Gibraltar, Vanuatu with an imprint of the Greek state
- ECHR rejects an appeal by 672 firefighters against mandatory vaccination
Govt can’t budge Tepak over jabs
University an autonomous entity, state can’t intervene says minister
- Tatar accused of contradiction over passports
- After long legal battle, 18th century ‘royal iconostasis doors’ repatriated from Japan
Strict TEPAK, laid back University of Cyprus
Different decisions by public universities over the presence of students in classes. Only vaccinated and those who have recovered from COVID-19 at TEPAK, students with a safe pass at the University of Cyprus.
- Anastasiades to Tatar: Come let’s implement the 1960s constitution
- Interior Minister: September crucial for the local governance reform
- Legal service: Criminal prosecution of three people for spreading fake news
- From Japan: Iconostasis doors of Ayios Anastasios Peristeronopigis being repatriated
Main News
Anastasiades calls on TCs to return to 1960 Constitution
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
President Nicos Anastasiades said on Wednesday the GC community was ready to return to the 1960 regime with TCs taking the positions granted to them by the Constitution, as a public confrontation between the two leaders continued following a decision to revoke the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) passports of 14 TCs.
Responding to the initial response of TC leader Ersin Tatar, who said the move was racist, Anastasiades rejected the accusation and reminded Tatar that it was him who said in public “we are a different race. We speak Turkish, our religion is Islam, our motherland in Turkey.” Anastasiades also refuted suggestions of discrimination, pointing out that the RoC had issued 97,000 passports and over 110,000 ID cards to TCs, confirming their Cypriot citizenship.
He said the revocation of passports strictly concerns a limited number of individuals who undermine the independence, sovereignty, and status of the RoC with their actions and “certainly not all our TC compatriots.” Politis views Anastasiades’ statements as an attempt to lower the tones of the confrontation that erupted from the fire he set himself.
Anastasiades also said that Tatar’s position that the rights of TCs stem from the Treaties of Establishment of the RoC, while correct, is inconsistent with his rhetoric, which he said involves the separation of Cypriot citizens into two people in the framework of a two-state solution, thereby blatantly violating the agreements cited.
If Tatar means what he claims, Anastasaides said, the GC community is “fully prepared to accept restoration of constitutional order with the return of the TCs to the executive, the legislature, the judiciary, and the rest of the services, based on the provisions of the 1960 Constitution, with the simultaneous start of talks to define the areas which each community will be responsible to administer based on UN resolutions.”
Haravgi reports that it interprets Anastasiades’ statement as a suggestion to return to the 1960 regime which includes guarantees, rights of intervention, veto power for everything but with territorial readjustments in a bi-zonal vein.
Politis reports that Anastasiades also said that he could continue to respond to Tatar’s claims with justified arguments, but will refrain from doing so to avoid a further escalation of the matter, since all he is interested in solving the Cyprus problem on the basis of high-level agreements, UN resolutions and the EU aquis in a way that would benefit both communities.
Earlier on Wednesday, Tatar said the decision showed that the RoC had turned into a GC republic, a Greek republic, and wondered why those who staged the coup in 1974 did not have their passports rescinded. He also said he was born in 1960 when everyone got a RoC passport and claimed he did not remember when it was renewed. Politis also reports that Tatar said that the GC side’s move was one of contradiction and will not be accepted by the international community.
The dailies report that Tatar has asked those affected from the decision to seek recourse from court, but said he will not do so himself. He said he will keep using his ‘TRNC’ passport which he has travelled with, and will use his diplomatic passport to travel to places where the former couldn’t take him.
Alithia reports that Tatar also said that the government’s decision will not change the Turkish side’s policy as regards Varosha, since he said actions there are not in violation of international law. He said the reopening of Varosha is being followed through in order to get past injustices, and to restore human rights. He also said that properties there will mostly be returned for financial reasons. Tatar added that he is curious what the GC side will say in the face of this argument in the event that the issue of Varosha is brought before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Alithia reports that Tatar also said that from a total of 365 applications by GCs regarding their property in Varosha, 35 are in the area that has been reopened on a pilot basis.
Haravgi reports on a statement issued by pro-reunification activist group Unite Cyprus Now, which warned that the decision to revoke the RoC passports provides ammunition to the advocates of separation in Cyprus and sets up a dangerous precedent for the future. “Already damaged by multiple scandals related to the citizenship schemes, this latest act by the Anastasiades government is a populist move to please the nationalist votes and avoid taking responsibility for Mr Anastasiades’ share in this mess,” it added. It also said that there is no guarantee that this act will not be used as an example for any other similar politically motivated actions in the future, adding that once Pandora’s Box is opened, there is no end to the potentially dangerous things that could happen that will lead to the permanent partition of our country.
The dailies alsoreport citing TC media that it appears that there are 10 more names on the list of TC ‘officials’ whose RoC passports will be revoked.
Meanwhile, Alithia reports that Tatar also responded to claims made by the former TC leader Mustafa Akinci regarding Turkey’s plan being that of annexing the north. Tatar said that neither Turkey nor the north seek a policy of annexation, reiterating the goal of a two-state solution.
Alithia reports that Tatar also said that he will be travelling to New York to meet with UN officials, and if the climate allows, he will also meet with the GC side. Tatar reiterated however that for negotiations to take place, the TC side’s sovereign equality must first be accepted.
KEY ACTORS
Anastasiades
>> Rejects that passports revocation move was racist, points finger at previous statement issued by Tatar who said TCs are a different race
>> Refutes suggestions of discrimination, since RoC had issued 97,000 passports and over 110,000 ID cards to TCs, confirming their Cypriot citizenship
>> Revocation of passports strictly concerns a limited number of individuals who undermine the independence, sovereignty, and status of the RoC with their actions and certainly not all our TC compatriots
>> Tatar’s position that the rights of TCs stem from the Treaties of Establishment of the RoC, while correct, is inconsistent with his rhetoric, which involves the separation of Cypriot citizens into two people through a two-state solution, thereby blatantly violating the agreements cited
>> If Tatar means what he claims, the GC community is fully prepared to accept restoration of constitutional order with the return of the TCs to the executive, the legislature, the judiciary, and the rest of the services, based on the provisions of the 1960 Constitution, with the simultaneous start of talks to define the areas which each community will be responsible to administer based on UN resolutions
>> Could draw out the public spat but won’t, since all he is interested in solving the Cyprus problem on the basis of high-level agreements, UN resolutions and the EU aquis in a way that would benefit both communities
Tatar
>> Passports decision showed that the RoC had turned into a GC republic, a Greek republic
>> Wonders why those who staged the coup in 1974 did not have their passports rescinded
>> The GC side’s move was one of contradiction and will not be accepted by the international community
>> Has asked those affected from the decision to seek recourse from court, but said he will not do so himself; will continue using his ‘TRNC’ & diplomatic passports
>> Decision will not change the Turkish side’s policy as regards Varosha, since actions there are not in violation of international law, but serve the purpose of getting past injustices & restoring human rights
>> Properties in Varosha will mostly be returned for financial reasons
>> Curious what the GC side will say in the face of this argument in the event that the issue of Varosha is brought before the ECHR
>> Neither Turkey nor the north seek a policy of annexation, but a two-state solution
>> In New York will meet with Anastasiades if climate allows, but formal negotiations can only resume if TC sides’s sovereign equality is accepted first
Unite Cyprus Now
>> Decision to revoke the RoC passports provides ammunition to the advocates of separation in Cyprus and sets up a dangerous precedent for the future
>> It is a populist move to please the nationalist votes and avoid taking responsibility for Anastasiades’ share in this mess
>> There is no guarantee that this act will not be used as an example for any other similar politically motivated actions in the future
>> Once Pandora’s Box is opened, there is no end to the potentially dangerous things that could happen that will lead to the permanent partition of our country
Permanent Representative to UN sends letter to Guterres
Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
In a letter to the UN Secretary General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres dated August 6, 2021, Cyprus’ Permanent Representative to the UN Andreas Hadjichrysanthou denounced violations of Cyprus’ national airspace of, infringements of international air traffic regulations in the flight information region and the illegal use of closed ports and airports in Cyprus by Turkey in April and May, Phileleftheros reports.
The paper reports that Hadjichrysanthou’s letter also pointed to the visit paid to the north by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in July, as well as the announcements made there regarding Varosha. The violations are recorded in four separate documents attached to the letter.
Hadjichrysanthou said the UN Security Council (UNSC) must stand behind its resolutions and ensure that they have meaning; otherwise, we risk undermining the credibility of the organisation. He also said that “Turkey’s aggressive conduct and persistent contempt for international law, as reflected in relevant Security Council resolutions, reached new heights in July 2021, further endangering the already violated human rights of the lawful inhabitants of Varosha and seriously harming the prospects for a settlement of the Cyprus problem.”
He noted during his visit to the north in July, Erdogan reiterated his demand for the recognition of two states in Cyprus, in blatant contradiction of the provisions of relevant UNSC resolutions, the UN established parameters and the existing body of work.
Hadjichrysanthou also said that Turkey’s perception of reality that led April’s 5+1 informal meeting on Cyprus to an impasse continues unabated and stressed that “in spite of all obstacles, we remain committed to a settlement on the basis of a bizonal, bicommunal federation (BBF), with political equality as defined in Security Council resolutions.”
“In that regard, we are encouraged by your [the UNSG’s] message of persistence and determination with regard to the efforts for the resumption of formal negotiations, as expressed in your latest reports to the Council.”
Hadjichrysanthou said in his letter that Turkey continues to systematically harass civilian and military aircraft within the Nicosia flight information region with radio calls. These actions, according to Hadjichrysanthou, “are clearly aimed at undermining the sovereignty of Cyprus, consolidating the ongoing de facto division of the island and attempting to upgrade the status of the secessionist regime through the alleged existence of a separate airspace over the occupied territory of Cyprus.”
Hadjichrystanthou also said that the airports located in the north are illegal and consequently their activity is null, void and operationally not taken into account by international air navigation and the civil aviation community.
Hadjichrysanthou requested from the UNSG to circulate the letter and its annexes as a document of the General Assembly, under agenda item 44, and of the UNSC.
KEY ACTORS
Hadjichrysanthou
>> In letter to UNSG, denounces violations of Cyprus’ national airspace of, infringements of international air traffic regulations in the flight information region and the illegal use of closed ports and airports in Cyprus by Turkey in April and May
>> The visit paid to the north by Erdogan in July is illegal and his announcements in favour of a two-state solution and regarding Varosha blatantly violate UN resolutions
>> UNSC must stand behind its resolutions and ensure that they have meaning; otherwise, we risk undermining the credibility of the organisation