Front Page Headlines
Without a third dose we’re forgetting the safepass
The vaccination certificate with be cancelled for those who do not move forwards with the booster dose.
- Varosha: President Anastasiades places his hopes in the EU
- Good news: The ship of shame reached Crete
They stole a corpse from a cemetery
They opened the grave of the mother of a witness under protection – He will testify in a big case involving cocaine. Police are examining whether the theft of the corpse is linked with the impending testimony of Ioannis Andreou before the Criminal Court.
- Acute confrontation against the background of ‘Ph’s documents: Exchange of fire between President and AKEL
- The next move from Borrell
- They’re carrying fuel from the north in tankers
- New measures for the pandemic aren’t being ruled out in the end: They changed tactics within 24 hours
- Odysseas’ report on naturalisations at the end of the year: The Audit Office is dusting 7,000 folders
Spehar sending out an SOS for the peace process in Cyprus
‘The positions of the two sides have become even more distant over the past months’
- Spy van: The case is going to be covered up… Silence from the Attorney General!
- COVID-19: 386 new cases and 88 patients, out of which 38 are in serious condition
- Refugees are asking for leasing certificates and utilisation of empty plots in their communities
Passport probe to take till year end
Audit office says will examine case files of 3,500 investors and their dependents.
- Varosha pop video causes a stir
They‘ve stifled Nicosia because they don’t let them buy fuel from the… occupied areas!
The government has tightened the leashes, taxis have reacted with chaos. Traffic congestion yesterday in road networks of the capital, from the closure of roads by the Association of Urban Taxis, who are requesting equal treatment in smuggling!
- Elizabeth Spehar: The UN is concerned about Cyprus, the two sides are becoming more distant
- Friendly moves by DIKO-DISY: New approach to the positions of the two parties?
- Little Asya moving her hand without support
- Auditor General: The draft report on naturalisations at the end of 2021 beginning of 2022
- Human trafficking: 18 foreign women abided by the law of silence
- Traffic cameras: The grace period is coming to an end – Fines for violations from 1.1.2022
Main News
Anastasiades: EU Varosha report to be discussed next week
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
EU Matters
OVERVIEW
President Nicos Anastasiades said an EU information report detailing all that has been taking place in Varosha will be discussed next week, the dailies report.
Responding to a journalist’s question regarding the delay being seen on the part of Brussels to reach a decision on measures against Turkey for its provocations against Cyprus, Anastasiades said there is interest on the part of the EU.
Anastasiades added that Turkey’s threats are being taken into account and will be dealt with in the best diplomatic way.
The dailies report citing the Cyprus News Agency that the European Commission has prepared a detailed classified report on everything that has been taking place at Varosha since July 20, 2021, in a bid to verify accusations issued by the Republic and to map out Turkey’s role the in events taking place in the area.
The report is made up of seven pages and it is the reason for the delay in drafting of an options paper on Varosha by the European External Action Service. The options paper will not only include suggestions on how the EU should respond to the situation in Varosha, but also a detailed account of the current situation, drawing also from the findings of the report.
The dailies report that diplomatic sources in Brussels said the report notes the continued presence of the Turkish military in the Varosha area as well as in the port of Famagusta, noting that the actions taken there create a new state of affairs that is meant to test international reactions.
The document also outlines the ways in which Turkey attempts to create an advantageous situation ahead of a possible solution of the Cyprus Problem, through establishing its control in decision-making processes in the occupied areas and through demographic changes.
In particular, the report notes that the TC side works under the guidance of the Turkish Embassy in the north, while the planning on Varosha is being coordinated by a board made up of political, military and judicial representatives from the TC community, under the supervision of TC leader Ersin Tatar and overseen by Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay and Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.
According to the same information, the report notes that there is a long-term plan to develop the area where status has been unilaterally changed as well as other areas in Varosha. The Immovable Property Commission is reported to also be contributing to this process.
The report also notes the use of the Lefkonoiko military base by Turkish military drones, as well as the recent decision of the TC leadership to grant an expanse of land in Karpasia to the Turkish army. It suggests that Turkey’s action is an indication that Ankara prioritises its geopolitical pursuits and its internal politics over the respect of UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
According to the report, Turkey has adopted a hybrid approach in the north, combining a series of tools to exert control on the TC community’s administration, education, economy, military, society, and media.
It is also noted that Turkey attempts to use disinformation, demography, the military and migration to exert pressure and also to destabilise Nicosia’s policies, by creating a division between Cyprus and other EU member states, as well as through causing disagreements among GCs regarding the possibility of returning to Varosha.
Phileleftheros reports that for Greece and Cyprus, the seven-page confidential document which was presented during Monday’s Foreign Affairs Council is particularly helpful in order to persuade their EU partners regarding Turkey’s intentions and plans as regards Cyprus. This is expected to push EU Foreign Ministers to agree to take targeted measures in December, the paper reports.
Phileleftheros also reports that it will be the next moves to be taken by EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell that will act as a barometer for the stance to be taken by the majority of EU member states regarding Turkey’s actions in Varosha.
KEY ACTORS
Anastasiades
>> Turkey’s threats are being taken into account and will be dealt with in the best diplomatic way
Spat between Anatasiades, AKEL over Crans-Montana continues
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
President Nicos Anastasiades said Tuesday that those attacking him over his handling of the peace process are in reality attacking the GCs, pointing out that a recently leaked UN document bears out what he has said all along – that the failure of negotiations in Switzerland in 2017 was down to Turkish intransigence over the issue of guarantees.
He said it is not the President of the Republic who is under fire, but Cypriot Hellenism itself that comes under fire whenever they attribute responsibilities to it, adding that this is the case unless what critics – referring primarily to AKEL – wanted him to do was agree to guarantees, the presence of Turkish troops and anything that Turkey sought.
Phileleftheros and Politis report that Anastasiades also said that he did what he had to do to be constructive and creative, so that a solution can be achieved that would be acceptable to both communities.
He said the issue of security as part of a settlement package was brought to the fore thanks the actions of the GC side, noting that this had never previously had this been discussed. He added that it is well known that following the meeting with the UN Secretary General (UNSG) on July 4, 2017, there came the important statement that spoke of an obsolete system of guarantees and that another way had to be found to provide security if and when needed.
He reiterated that what caused the talks to collapse was Turkey’s insistence on guarantees and on the presence of an increased number of occupation troops, compared to the proposal for a military contingent for a certain period of time, as provided for by the Treaty of 1960.
Responding to Anastasiades, AKEL asked why he rejected the mechanism that would abolish Turkish guarantees. It added that the leaked UN minutes do not negate the two undisputable facts that burden Anastasiades and his policy. The first is the fact that he rejected the informal document outlining a mechanism for the implementation of the solution, which would abolish Turkey’s guarantee and intervention rights, with the party noting that Anastasiades’ rejection of the document was confirmed by the Greek FM and the Government Spokesman.
Second, AKEL said the UNSG’s report absolved Turkey and placed blame on the two communities, something which Anastasiades never disputed. Therefore, AKEL went on, either the report is the result of a dangerous level of incompetence on the part of the UNSG, or the final dinner developed in other ways and Anastasiades is unable to dispute those present. Whatever the case, AKEL said, Anastasiades left the GC side irresolvably and internationally exposed.
Weighing in on Tuesday, EDEK said the leaked UN document confirms Turkey’s expansionist objectives, so that it can secure political capital through a settlement in a bid to gain control over the functioning of the entire state in Cyprus. Phileleftheros reports that the party reiterated its long-standing position in favour of an international conference on the Cyprus problem for the discussion of the issue’s international dimension, which includes the withdrawal of Turkish troops, the repatriation of settles, the return of all refugees, and the abolition of guarantees.
KEY ACTORS
Anastasiades
>> Those attacking him over his handling of the peace process are in reality attacking the Cypriot Hellenism
>> Leaked UN minutes proves what he has been saying all along, that the collapse of Crans-Montana talks was due to Turkish intransigence over the issue of guarantees & the presence of an increased number of occupation troops
>> He did what he had to do to be constructive and creative, so that a solution can be achieved that would be acceptable to both communities
>> The issue of security as part of a settlement package was brought to the fore thanks the actions of the GC side
AKEL
>> Why did Anastasiades reject the mechanism that would abolish Turkish guarantees?
>> Leaked UN minutes to not negate the fact that Anastasiades rejected the document outlining a mechanism for the implementation of the solution
>> Also do not negate the UNSG’s report which absolved Turkey of blame and placed responsibility on two communities
>> Anastasiades left the GC side irresolvably and internationally exposed
EDEK
>> Leaked UN document confirms Turkey’s expansionist objectives, so that it can secure political capital through a settlement to gain control over the functioning of the entire state
>> Calls for international conference on the Cyprus problem for the discussion of the issue’s international dimension, which includes the withdrawal of Turkish troops, the repatriation of settles, the return of all refugees, and the abolition of guarantees
Christodoulides, Dendias discuss Cyprus problem
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Greek Foreign Minister Nicos Dendias on Tuesday accused Turkey of seeking to create new faits accomplis on the ground in Cyprus through illegal actions in Varosha, violating UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions in the process, the dailies report.
Dendias was speaking from Nicosia, where he held a meeting with his Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides. He said the Turkish and TC sides insist on discussing a solution to the Cyprus problem that is outside the framework of UNSC decisions and international legality, something that he said will not happen.
Dendias said Ankara was seeking to create new faits accomplis in Varosha, violating anew the decisions of the UNSC, violating the sovereignty and sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus, with provocative, illegal, actions.
He said Greece will assist the Republic’s efforts to resume reunification talks on the basis of UN resolutions and the European acquis. Dendias said our enduring vision is a united island, rid of occupation forces, rid of anachronistic guarantees.
Dendias said that they expected specific measures to be taken against Turkey during the next Foreign Affairs Council in December, based on the proposal of the Commission. We are not looking to punish Turkey or the Turkish society, he noted, expressing the hope that Turkey will abide by international law and will put an end to its neo-Ottoman, revisionist agenda and destabilising aspirations.
Dendias said they also discussed the two countries’ participation in multilateral structures, with other countries in the region, with which he said they look to forward to more discussions. The aim, he said, is to address challenges, regional peace, security, prosperity on the basis of our common values, on the basis of international law, on the basis of the law of the sea. Greece and Cyprus remain deeply committed to respecting and defending international law, Dendias stressed.
Christodoulides reiterated that the two countries were working together to create the conditions necessary for a resumption of talks based on the agreed framework. He said the continuing Turkish provocativeness, which generally extends on many levels in the area and beyond, causes disappointment and lack of optimism, but noted that efforts do not end, but are on the contrary intensified and bolstered.
Christodoulides said that the two countries coordinate on a daily basis, they have common goals and their actions as countries located in the same region and as members of the EU coincide and are focused on specific goals. On the basis of a positive approach and not zero-sum games, we are working with other like-minded countries of the wider region so that conditions of security, cooperation and stability can prevail, he added.
He said it is particularly important and positive that our effort is collective and is recognised not only by countries in the region, but also by international actors, who show a special interest in developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and the wider region of the Middle East. In this context, he said, we are working as EU member states in the region, to highlight the need for a more active and meaningful involvement of the EU in the region.
Things are not easy because of Turkey’s behaviour, Christodoulides said, stressing that utilising all the means at our disposal, we will continue our efforts to end the occupation and reunify Cyprus on the basis of the agreed framework, with respect to EU principles and away from anachronistic provisions.
KEY ACTORS
Dendias (Greece)
>> Turkey seeking to create new faits accomplis on the ground in Cyprus through illegal actions in Varosha, violating UNSC resolutions in the process
>> Turkish & TC sides insist on discussing a solution to the Cyprus problem outside the UNSC framework and international legality, which will not happen
>> Greece will assist the Republic’s efforts to resume reunification talks on the basis of UN resolutions and the European acquis
>> Our enduring vision is a united island, rid of occupation forces, rid of anachronistic guarantees
>> Expects specific measures to be taken against Turkey during the next Foreign Affairs Council in December
Christodoulides
>> Greece & Cyprus working together to create the conditions necessary for a resumption of talks based on the agreed framework
>> Turkish provocativeness causes disappointment and lack of optimism, but efforts do not end & are on the contrary intensified and bolstered
>> Will continue our efforts to end the occupation and reunify Cyprus on the basis of the agreed framework, with respect to EU principles and away from anachronistic provisions
Spehar: Cyprob at ‘extremely difficult’ stage
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
We are facing extremely difficult times in the Cyprus peace process with the positions of both sides having moved further apart in recent months, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General (UNSG) in Cyprus and Head of UNFICYP Elizabeth Spehar told a conference on Tuesday, the dailies report.
Addressing the Economist Conference in Nicosia, Spehar said although there is relative peace on the island with the absence of war, Cyprus is not at peace, since the conflict persists. She added that the UN sees longer-term stability, and a sustainable and secure future in Cyprus as well as the region, as intimately linked to resolving the Cyprus issue.
In her speech, she noted that as the conference, overall, is focusing on sustainability, stability, and security, these are all fundamental concepts that relate to peace. But there are many challenges on the way to both achieving and sustaining such peace, she said.
She went on to explain that these are extremely difficult times in the Cyprus peace process. Spehar added that efforts continue, and the UNSG has stressed that he will not give up, but said that there have been no substantive negotiations since July 2017. The UNSG, she said, is concerned about the future of the peace process with new facts on the ground being created as we speak.
Spehar said that over the past six months, the UNSG hosted an informal five-plus-one meeting in Geneva among the parties involved in the Cyprus issue, as well as an informal lunch with the two leaders in September. She added that while these rare meetings provided opportunities for dialogue, the discussions that took place have not led to a breakthrough that would allow a return to substantive talks.
In fact, Spehar said, the positions of both sides have moved further apart in recent months, adding negative narratives and unhelpful rhetoric are spreading, and political polarisation on the island is sharpening, between and within both sides of the divide.
She said that the latest polls have shown that even though more Cypriots want a solution that will be achieved as soon as possible, fewer GCs and TCs on the island believe this can be achieved and their attention is being diverted elsewhere.
Regionally, tensions have started to flare up again, she said, adding that it is no secret that the Cyprus issue is enmeshed in a broader geopolitical context where the roles of the neighbours, and particularly Turkey and Greece, two guarantor powers, are key. Spehar reminded that the UNSG has called on all parties to avoid actions that could increase tensions and derail the efforts to continue the dialogue in search of common ground to resume talks.
It is more than ever evident that the status quo is not static and that the situation on the island and in the region is in flux, she remarked. This leads to the question as to whether, in Cyprus itself there is peace, Spehar said, adding that in the past many months without substantive talks have been accompanied by a deepening mistrust between the parties.
Stressing that this leads to questions regarding whether security can prevail and economic prosperity flourish on a perpetually divided island, Spehar added that we all must keep hope alive, not simply with words but, more importantly, with actions. She said that the UN has worked on supporting countries around the world to achieve peace, and will continue to do so in Cyprus, and is committed to not only attaining but also sustaining peace.
KEY ACTORS
Spehar
>> We are facing extremely difficult times in the Cyprus peace process with the positions of both sides having moved further apart in recent months
>> Although there is relative peace on the island with the absence of war, Cyprus is not at peace, since the conflict persists
>> The UN sees longer-term stability, and a sustainable and secure future in Cyprus as well as the region, as intimately linked to resolving the Cyprus issue
>> The UNSG has stressed that he will not give up, but there have been no substantive negotiations since July 2017
>> The UNSG is concerned about the future of the peace process with new facts on the ground being created as we speak
>> Recent discussions discussions have not led to a breakthrough that would allow a return to substantive talks
>> Latest polls have shown that even though more Cypriots want a solution that will be achieved as soon as possible, fewer GCs and TCs on the island believe this can be achieved and their attention is being diverted elsewhere
>> Regionally, tensions have started to flare up again & it is no secret that Cyprob is enmeshed in a broader geopolitical context where the roles of the neighbours & particularly Turkey and Greece are key
>> The status quo is not static and that the situation on the island and in the region is in flux
>> In the past many months without substantive talks have been accompanied by a deepening mistrust between the parties
>> UN will continue supporting Cyprus & is committed to not only attaining but also sustaining peace
UK Councillor apologises for raising of TC flag in London
Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The leader of the London Borough of Waltham Forest has apologised to the UK’s GC community after the local Council granted permission to TCs to hoist the breakaway regime’s flag on Monday to mark the 38th anniversary since the north’s unilateral declaration of independence, the dailies report.
It was, however, removed a few hours later after the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK protested to the Council. The Federation said this move was “deplorable, insensitive, and deeply provocative to Cypriots, not to mention disrespectful of the longstanding UK position on Cyprus of successive British governments,” the dailies write.
The protest prompted an apology from Council leader Grace Williams. She said the event was part of the Council’s cultural programme that aims to celebrate the diverse communities that make up Waltham Forest and the flag was raised after a request by a Conservative councillor. “We accept this remains a disputed territory not recognised by the UK government and will not be raising it in future,” Williams said.
The Councillor also said the intention “is to celebrate our communities, not cause division” and apologised for the offence caused.
Cyprus Mail reports that the removal of the flag, however, angered members of the TC community who launched an online petition calling for Williams’ resignation. They said she had discriminated against TCs and deeply offended the community.
“It was a special moment not just for the dozens of TCs who had gathered outside the town hall, but also the tens of thousands who saw the event and news online. The joy and pride felt were enormous,” the petition said, of the hoisting of the flag. “TCs exist, and our rights, identity, and homeland deserve respect too,” it added.
They said Williams had essentially caved into complaints “by a small group of anti-Turkish racists” arguing that, for years, Waltham Forest Council has permitted a similar flag-raising ceremony for Tibet, which is also not recognised by the UK government.