Front Page Headlines
Cabinet, Attorney-General, DISY ‘cancelled’ Prodromos
They took back the disciplinary prosecution of Gavriel after the outcry.
- They’re waiting months and years: The state is pushing citizens to seek political favours
- The virus entered schools: Vaccination of youth a one-way street
Kings for seven and a half years
Parties and the government are giving local authorities and school authorities an extension until 2024. DISY, AKEL, DIKO are postponing elections in the name of reform.
- Time for a Euro army, Ursula announced
- Gavriel found ‘guilty’ but is being made innocent due to outcry
The termination of Gavriel’s prosecution a ‘win for society’
Opposition from all directions, but Prodromou is not resigning.
- The Cyprus problem at the centre of contacts held by the AKEL GS in Athens
Artist Gavriel’s hearing dropped
Council of ministers decides controversial artist and teacher has no case to answer
- (photo caption) Special forces soldiers from Cyprus and Egypt completed two weeks of joint training on Wednesday with a drill in the area of Lythrodontas
Prodromou ended up alone
Outcry as a result of George Gabriel’s prosecution. The entire political family disagreed with him: DISY but also the Council of Ministers, which even stopped the educator’s prosecution process from the committee – The Attorney-General also refuted the Education Minister
- Municipal elections are being postponed
Main News
Anastasiades tells Lillie any British ideas should stick to UNSC framework
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Any proposals or ideas on the Cyprus problem should not stray from the framework of the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, President Nicos Anastasiades told UK High Commissioner Stephen Lillie on Wednesday according to the dailies.
The dailies, citing statements issued by Government Spokesman Marios Pelekanos, report that Anastasiades received Lillie in the morning on the latter’s request. Pelekanos said the two shared an honest exchange of views on the prospects of resuming the talks. Phileleftheros reports that Anastasiades asked Lillie to give explanations for the various scenarios flying around regarding Britain’s ideas and backstage initiatives.
He added that Anastasiades reiterated his readiness for a joint meeting with TC leader Ersin Tatar in the presence of the UN Secretary General (UNSG), with the aim of resuming the talks on the basis of agreed framework. Pelekanos said that during the meeting Anastasiades also stressed the need to adopt bold and substantive confidence-building measures (CBMs) as have been repeatedly submitted to the UN Secretary General (UNSG) in view of supporting efforts to resume talks.
He added that the Anastasiades stressed to Lillie that any proposals or ideas should not go beyond the framework of UNSC resolutions, “with the ultimate goal always being the transformation of the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) into a functioning and sustainable state, without anachronistic systems and the presence of foreign troops.”
On his part, Lillie reaffirmed Britain’s position for the resumption of talks on the basis of the agreed framework, giving some explanations regarding the initiatives being developed by the British government, Pelekanos said. No statements were made by Lillie after the meeting that lasted about an hour, Cyprus Mail reports.
KEY ACTORS
Anastasiades
>> Any proposals or ideas on the Cyprus problem should not stray from the framework of the UNSC resolutions
>> Ultimate goal is always the transformation of the RoC into a functioning and sustainable state, without anachronistic systems and the presence of foreign troops
>> Need to adopt bold and substantive CBMs as have been repeatedly submitted to the UNSG in view of supporting efforts to resume talks
Stefanou, Mitsotakis agree UN framework is the only option
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
In a meeting held in Athens on Wednesday, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and AKEL’s new General Secretary, Stefanos Stefanou, agreed on the importance of preserving the Cyprus problem framework as outlined by UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, the dailies report.
Mitsotakis congratulated Stefanou on his recent election to the leadership of AKEL and assured him of Greece’s continued support for a solution to the Cyprus problem. He said he considers it his obligation to always meet the leaders of the parties in Cyprus in order to have an honest conversation, since the issues with concern both Cyprus and Greece require absolute coordination between the two countries.
During the discussion, Mitsotakis and Stefanou examined Turkish provocations, and particularly actions taken in Varosha, with the two stressing that these are in complete contradiction with UNSC resolutions and the positions of the international community, and make it particularly difficult resume negotiations.
In statements after the meeting, Mitsotakis said the only acceptable framework for negotiations on the Cyprus issue are the decisions by the UNSC, which provide for a bizonal, bicommunal federal (BBF) solution, with a single sovereignty, international personality and citizenship. He added that necessary conditions for the solution of the Cyprus problem are the abolition of the anachronistic system of guarantees as well as the withdrawal of Turkish troops from the island.
On his part, Stefanou described the meeting as rich in content and enlightening. He said the two discussed the situation as it was unfolding over recent years and particularly after the collapse of talks in Crans-Montana, which saw an impasse being created and the scaling up of Turkish provocative behaviour. He said they also discussed what should be done from this point forward, since Turkey is using the current situation to promote its partitionist plans and create faits accomplis on both land and sea.
Stefanou said that for AKEL, it is clear that in view of Turkey’s attempts to divert efforts for a Cyprob solution away from UN resolutions, we must become even more consistent in our support for UN decisions and resolutions, as well as high-level agreements, all of which call for a BBF solution with political equality.
Stefanou added that he and Mitsotakis also discussed ways of breaking the current impasse and getting Turkey to abandon its intransigent stance. He said that there is no other choice but to insist on the resumption of talks from where they left off, preserving convergences and resuming discussions on the basis of the Guterres framework. Stefanou also said that he discussed the proposal submitted by AKEL for the creation of incentives that could resume the negotiations process.
KEY ACTORS
Mitsotakis (Greece)
>> Only acceptable framework for negotiations on the Cyprus issue are the decisions by the UNSC, which provide for a BBF solution, with a single sovereignty, international personality and citizenship
>> Necessary conditions for the solution of the Cyprus problem are the abolition of the anachronistic system of guarantees as well as the withdrawal of Turkish troops from the island
Stefanou (AKEL)
>> It is clear that in view of Turkey’s attempts to divert efforts for a Cyprob solution away from UN resolutions, we must become even more consistent in our support for UN decisions and resolutions, as well as high-level agreements, all of which call for a BBF solution with political equality
>> There is no other choice but to insist on the resumption of talks from where they left off, preserving convergences and resuming discussions on the basis of the Guterres framework
Cyprob to be discussed at EUMed summit
Cyprus Mail, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The Cyprus problem will be among the issues discussed in the upcoming EUMed summit, which President Nicos Anastasiades will attend on Friday, Government Spokesman Marios Pelekanos said on Wednesday.
The dailies report that the summit will be held in Athens on Friday and will be attended by the leaders of European member states situated in the southern Mediterranean – Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, and Spain. This year, they will be joined for the first time by Croatia and Slovenia.
The agenda will include the current efforts for peace and stability in the eastern Mediterranean and the situation in Syria, Lebanon and Tunisia, in addition to a number of issues linked to the EU’s agenda such as coronavirus, climate change and migration. Pelekanos said that Anastasiades will also brief the summit on the latest developments in the Cyprus problem, the papers report.
During a dinner following the summit, leaders will also discuss the situation in Afghanistan and issues surrounding threats.
Following the summit, Anastasiades will fly to New York to address the UN General Assembly, on the margins of which Anastasiades will attend a meeting with UN Secretary General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres and hold contacts with foreign leaders and US organisations.
TC MEP to raise English textbook issue at European parliament
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
TC MEP Niyazi Kizilyurek said on Wednesday he will table a discussion at the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education about the Education Ministry’s handling of the English textbook with a reference to Kemal Ataturk and the call on teachers to tear that page out.
The papers cite statements issued to the Cyprus News Agency from Strasbourg, with Kizilyurek stating that Committee chair Sabine Verheyen has already been in touch with Education Minister Prodromos Prodromou over the issue of painter and headteacher George Gavriel.
“Ripping a page out of a book, or withdrawing a book in very nationalistic tones is a move that will undoubtedly come up in the Committee’s next session, and one I will be bringing up myself,” Kizilyurek said.
Meanwhile, the dailies also report that the Cabinet on Wednesday announced that the disciplinary procedure against Gavriel will be dropped, amidst wide condemnation of the way the government handled the matter.