GCC Press Review 31 Aug 2021

Front Page Headlines

Politis

A chase of deniers and charlatans

Doctors in Covid units area ready to go after colleagues of theirs. Doctors who care for Covid patients feel indignation and anger by the refusal of colleagues of theirs to abide by the existing recommendations and which as a result, unvaccinated people under 50 end up in the ICUs. Doctors having at their disposal the names of charlatans are willing to take legal measures. In addition to the 53-year-old specialist doctor who was issuing fake vaccination certificates with one of his patients recently losing the battle with the virus, there is evidence of at least four other doctors giving patients cocktails of vitamins and preventing them from being treated.

  • 1960 Constitution: New government version
  • They will not be waiting for the EMA – Details are being finalised for the third dose.

Phileleftheros

It has gripped pupils and students

The biggest group of coronavirus cases in August was children. 81% of the new infections was under 50 years of age.

  • Robert Menendez: “My vision is Cyprus’ reunification”
  • Plans and preparation of moves by Nicosia
  • The turmoil over the return to 1960 (Constitution) continues
  • Pope Francis in Cyprus in December – Important visit by the Vatican.
  • Oil spill from Syria is making its way to Cyprus – It is expected to affect Cape Apostolos Andreas.

Haravgi

Confusion at the Presidential Palace while we are headed to partition

Those governing cannot even agree among them. Zero seriousness… Anastasiades’ references to return to the 1960 Constitution was a “figure of speech”.

  • Sea pollution: On standby for an oil spill in the sea east of Cyprus

Cyprus Mail

Syrian oil slick to hit east coast

Expected to hit Karpasia and Famagusta, govt says it’s prepared.

  • Cyprus’ top award for US senator reflects ‘Greek Cypriot gratitude’

Alithia

Lute is not coming, in the air the Anastasiades-Tatar meeting

Cyprus problem: Concerns at the UN for the Turkish insistence on two states. AKEL maintains tensions over the 1960 Constitution. Response by Christodoulides: We are focused on a solution based on a bizonal bicommunal federation.

  • Robert Menendez: My goal is to see the last Turkish soldier leave Cyprus – “I am proud to be Cyprus’ friend.”
  • Missing person case: The ECHR decision on Christofis Ppasha is expected today
  • Private schools: The government is calling on foreign students to leave Cyprus

Main News

Nicosia continues efforts for Cyprob despite setbacks

Alithia, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process, Regional/International Relations

OVERVIEW

UN special envoy Jane Holl Lute will not arrive for now, while the latest developments in Afghanistan have also affected scheduled meetings on the Cyprus problem but GC side carries on with Cyprob plans, the dailies report.

Alithia reports that Lute is not expected to visit the island after all while the announced meeting between leaders Nicos Anastasiades and Ersin Tatar in New York and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is up in the air given the Afghanistan crisis but also the great distance between the two sides on the Cyprus problem, especially the Turkish side’s demand for a two-state solution.

The daily cites Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides saying that Lute does not intend at the moment to visit Nicosia. The minister also said the government has conveyed to Guterres its desire for a meeting, either between the two leaders and the UNSG or even with the participation of the guarantor powers.

Citing diplomatic sources, the paper reports that the GC side continues efforts for the meeting since it believes a positive step could be taken in New York if the Turkish side abandons its irrational demands.

Phileleftheros reports that Christodoulides told state broadcaster CyBC that Lute’s visit that was scheduled at the end of August/beginning of September did not happen and there was nothing specific for now about her arrival to the island. He also said that the announced arrival of a representative of a permanent member of the Security Council was postponed for at least two weeks due to developments in Afghanistan. Phileleftheros, citing information, reports that the visit concerned an official of the Foreign Office, which was postponed.

The daily also reports that Christodoulides said Anastasiades would have a meeting with Guterres in New York and that the GC side was willing for a joint meeting of the two leaders with the UNSG to see if the conditions for the resumption of talks are there.

The paper also reports that Nicosia is working on its next moves on the Cyprus problem after tensions by the decision on the revocation of TC officials’ passports statements on the 1960 Constitution. The negotiating team will convene today and the National Council is scheduled for tomorrow, the daily reported.

Last Sunday’s poll by Phileleftheros that showed that the majority of voters of DISY and AKEL support the decision to revoke passports is expected that it will be a useful tool for the president to support the government decision. However, AKEL considers that the people have not yet fully understood the essence of the government decision, the daily reported.

Regarding the moves at the legal level, focus is on moves in the direction of the European Court of Human Rights. The foreign minister told CyBC that after the political decision for a fifth appeal, instructions have been given to start work for such a possibility while the experts in collaboration with the government working groups will submit final suggestions and data, Phileleftheros reports.


‘Return to 1960 regime’ statement continues to raise controversy

Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process, Governance & Power Sharing

OVERVIEW

The president’s call on TCs for return to the 1960 regime continues to raise controversy with ruling AKEL lambasting the government of double talk and inability to agree among themselves.

Haravgi reports that there is an unprecedented double talk by the government on the matter with Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides saying yesterday the president’s statements was a “figure of speech” and not a proposal under process as per the statements a few days ago of Government spokesman Marios Pelekanos.

AKEL spokesman Giorgos Koukoumas on Monday called on the government to first agree between them on the Cyprus problem before making statements.

Koukoumas pointed out that Pelekanos insisted that Anastasiades’ idea of returning to the 1960 Constitution as contained in a written statement by the president was not a figure of speech or a simple response to TC leader Ersin Tatar, but a proposal that was already on the table by the time of the written statement. He also said Christodoulides, on the other hand, stated it was a figure of speech and that there was no such proposal.

Koukoumas called on the government, if it wants to save face, to recall Anastasiades’ written statement in question and the spokesman’s statements on this idea that means abandonment by the GC side of High-Level agreements, the UN resolutions and the convergences.

The AKEL spokesman said the essence, however, remained the same: the country was led to final partition while Anastasiades’ policy leads to dangerous for Cyprus paths.

Haravgi also reports that, on the same matter, Christodoulides said the reference to the return to the Constitution of 1960 was a response to Tatar’s statements on the absent Republic of Cyprus (RoC). In this way, Anastasiades wanted to point out that there can be no selective reference to the RoC, the foreign minister claimed, the daily reported.

Alithia reports that AKEL maintains tensions on the 1960 Constitution issue while Christodoulides made clear the government remains focused on the evolution of the RoC from a unitary to a federal state based on the agreed solution framework. He also said the GC side remains focused on the goal of the restart of the talks based on a bizonal bicommunal federation (BBF), the daily reports.

Politis reports that Christodoulides tried on Monday to do damage control by calling Anastasiades’ statements on the return to the 1960 Constitution “a figure of speech” and not a proposal as per Pelekanos’ earlier statements.

The daily reports that after the confusion that reigned following the government spokesman’s attempt to explain the reasons Anastasiades called on the TCs return to the institutions of the RoC, the foreign minister came to the fore with a completely different version of the government’s initial take. The daily also reports that Anastasiades’ reference to the 1960 Constitution stirred reactions among the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) in the north that said both a return to the political order of things that prevailed in 1960, as well as a two-state solution were against the TCs and cannot be accepted.

Phileleftheros too reports that Christodoulides tried to rectify the situation with statements to CyBC and Alpha TV and tried to convince that Anastasiades did not submit a proposal to return to the 1960 Constitution but had responded to Ersin Tatar and his reaction to the issue of the revocation of the passports of officials of the pseudo-state. The daily reports that Anastasiades’ statements continue to stir reactions on both sides of the divide.

KEY ACTORS
Christodoulides
>>
The call by the president on TCs to return to 1960 Constitution was a figure of speech in response to Tatar’s statements on the absent RoC and not a proposal.
>> GC side remains committed to resuming talks for a BBF solution.

Koukoumas (AKEL)
>>
Calls on government first agree among themselves before making conflicting statements on Cyprob.
>> Calls on government retract Anastasiades’ written statement & Pelekanos’ explanation of what president said on 1960 Constitution which in essence means abandonment by the GC side of High-Level agreements, UN resolutions & the convergences.
>> Cyprus is headed to final partition but Anastasiades carries on with policy that puts the island at risk.

CTP
>>
Rejects both a return to the political order of things in 1960s & a two-state solution that are against the TCs.


Menendez: Goal is to see the last Turkish soldier leave the island

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Regional/International Relations, Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

The dailies report that President Nicos Anastasiades on Monday presented US Senator Robert Menendez with the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III which is the highest order of merit awarded by the Republic of Cyprus, for his longstanding support to Cypriots.

During a ceremony at the Presidential Palace, Anastasiades said he was particularly pleased in presenting the award to Menendez to symbolically reciprocate the feelings of gratitude of the Cypriot people to a world distinguished politician who had significantly contributed to the advancement of human rights and democracy around the world.

He said Menendez, who serves as chairman of one of the most influential committees of the US Senate, the Committee on Foreign Relations, had become a powerful voice for those who advocate a just world with equal opportunities for everyone. He also referred to Menendez’s interest and involvement in Cyprus, and his demand for the withdrawal of Turkish troops from the island and a viable and lasting settlement.

Anastasiades also praised Menendez’s key role in advancing the strategic partnership between Cyprus and Greece and the US, and other neighbouring countries and his initiative in advancing the Eastern Mediterranean Partnership Act, which establishes the institutional framework for energy and security cooperation between the USA and the trilateral synergy of Cyprus, Greece and Israel.

“An act through which the US also partially lifted its arms embargo on Cyprus,” he added.

Menendez said he was “proud to be a champion to America’s relationship with both Cyprus and Greece.”

Referring to the Cyprus problem, he said “the threats of the sovereignty and future of this nation are still significant.” He added that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s intent on implementing a two-state solution for Cyprus flies in the face of UN Security Council resolutions and consensus developed over the years.

“It is wrong for all of people of Cyprus,” he said. He also said “if the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots were left to their own negotiations then they could find a pathway forward for the reunification.”

Menendez also said that TCs missed out on the benefits offered by the RoC.

“I look at what this great Republic has done for its people, and I look at the other side of the other green line and I say what an incredibly lost opportunity for the people of the north,” he said.

The senator also said that his commitment to Cyprus was “deep, longstanding and will endure as long as I am a US Senator.”

“My goal is to see the last Turkish soldier leave the island,” he said.

Phileleftheros reports that Cyprus honoured its great friend, Robert Menendez. Alithia reports that Menendez said in Greek: “Hurrah for Cyprus”.

KEY ACTORS
Anastasiades
>>
RoC awards Menendez highest order of merit to express Cypriots’ gratitude for his contribution in enhancement of human rights & democracy around the world, including through keen interest in Cyprob.

Menendez
>>
Proud to be a champion to America’s relationship with Cyprus & Greece.
>> Points out that Cyprus continues to face significantthreats to its sovereignty & future due to Erdogan’s intent on implementing a two-state solution for Cyprus  which is against UNSC resolutions & consensus developed over the years.
>> Believes if GCs & TCs are left to negotiate without external influences, they could find a solution for the island’s reunification.
>> Believes TCs lost an opportunity to benefit from what RoC has to offer.
>> Reassures of his commitment to Cyprus for as long as he is a US Senator & of his goal to see the last Turkish soldier leave the island.


AKEL to hold mass rally for reunification

Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

Main opposition AKEL announced it is organising a mass rally for the solution to the Cyprus problem and reunification, on October 3, the dailies reported.

Citing the “dangerous course that things have taken in the Cyprus issue” AKEL said it is organising a mass rally that will start from Frenaros and end up at the Dherynia crossing.

The party, among other things, said they do not compromise either with the occupation-partitionist status quo or with the new faits accomplis by Turkey and reject the Erdogan-Tatar demand for a two-state solution and any form of partitionist solution.

“We condemn the Turkish announcements for the fenced area of ​​the city of Famagusta. We demand the implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions. Famagusta belongs to the Famagustians,” it added.

The party also said they demand the resumption of talks from where they left off in 2017 for a solution on the agreed basis and framework and calls on President Nicos Anastasiades to put an end to populism.


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