Front Page Headlines
Natural gas reserve
US energy company ExxonMobil announced it discovered the third largest natural gas reserve in the Eastern Mediterranean in the past two years. According to Exxonmobil, there are around 5 to 8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in block 10. These results indicate that this is the largest natural gas reserve discovered in Cyprus to date.
“Reserves do not mean utilization – economic and political feasibility needed”
Energy expert Emin Emrah Danış emphasized the need for an economic and political feasibility study as well as the need to find a market.
- Salih Yücesoy: “Hellim (Halloumi) finds its place on the breakfast tables” – Director of (dairy producer) KOOPSUT Salih Yücesoy spoke to AA regarding Hellim (Halloumi) exports to Turkey.
Taxes must come back to people through public service
Economists make recommendations to be included in the new taxation system announced by Finance Minister.
- Sewage water pouring into the river – Accumulating water at Pump Station 7 in Morphou being channelled to the Morphou River, resulting in horrific odour.
Big fuss over something small
The findings from Glafcos block announced but energy expert Serhat Uludağ said: “It is not possible to utilize the natural gas under current market conditions.”
- Livestock breeders suspend their protests – Livestock breeders condemned the politicians for not helping them overcome their strife.
It’s going to get better
Akıncı heightened moral of tourism investors by pointing to the fact that the number of resorts has gone up from 25 in 1977 to 145 and bed capacity from 2,795 to 25,139.
- 2,500 Euros fine – Greek Cypriot customs seize 3,800 Euros worth of tomatoes and red peppers at Ayios Dhometios checkpoint.
- Celebratory mood – ExxonMobil announced the discovered of 5-8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in South Cyprus’s block 10 named ‘Glafkos’.
Largest natural gas reserve
Large enough quantities of gas to turn the world’s attention to Cyprus discovered within the island’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
- 691 Turkish Cypriot properties in Nicosia’s walled city – Large number of Turkish Cypriot properties in Nicosia’s walled city being examined and assessed for use.
Main News
Akıncı on CBMs
Yenidüzen
Negotiations Process, CBMs
OVERVIEW
Speaking on a live TV programme on public broadcaster Bayrak, President Mustafa Akıncı said Tuesday’s meeting was held in two parts, focusing on confidence-building measures (CBMs) and decentralisation.
He said he had found the opportunity to discuss in further depth the issue of decentralisation with his Greek Cypriot counterpart Nicos Anastasiades.
On the issue of mobile phone operability, Akıncı drew attention to the fact that subscribers in the TRNC were able to use their phones everywhere in Europe except for South Cyprus.
He said that he had explained to Anastasiades that it was possible to cooperate on this issue without one side having to recognize the other. Akıncı said the Greek Cypriot leader had argued that a deal on mobile phones could not be possible because of an EU law but that he had been repeatedly informed by EU officials that the law in question did not constitute an obstacle.
Akinci, however, refrained from giving a timetable as to when the deal would come to life, saying the technical details will be ironed out by experts.
On the issue of connecting the electricity grids of the two sides, Akıncı said that the grids were first connected temporarily in 2016 and will now be integrated permanently. He pointed out that this will have advantages for both sides.
On the decision to clear a total of 18 minefields (9 minefields each), Akıncı said that most of these minefields were located in the western part of the island. He said that the goal was to have an island completely free of mines.
KEY ACTORS
Akıncı
>> Mobile phone deal delayed due to Anastasiades’ reference to EU law despite EU officials stating this was not an obstacle.
>> Connecting electricity grids will have benefits for both sides.
>> Goal is to create an island completely free of mines.
UBP stands firm against federal solution
Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Diyalog
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
National Unity Party (UBP) MPs Zorlu Töre and Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu resumed voicing their party’s opposition to a federal settlement in Cyprus. Töre, who also serves as Deputy Speaker of the TC parliament, argued that a common ground for a partnership state with the Greek Cypriots did not exist and that the best thing to do was to develop neighbourly relations with South Cyprus.
The MP said that the Greek Cypriot side was unwilling to share political power or the island’s wealth with Turkish Cypriots. “The best thing to do is to improve neighbourly relations. We should hold talks on issues such as communication, electricity, health, natural disasters, transportation, environment, criminal matters, economy and trade,” he said.
Töre also welcomed the latest steps taken on mobile phones and the electricity grid.
For his part, UBP MP Hasipoğlu said in a statement that the failure of the federation model should have been announced right after the rejection of the 2004 Annan Plan by the Greek Cypriots which was in fact a rejection of a federal settlement.
Hasipoğlu argued that despite the clear facts, the Turkish Cypriot side, particularly several political parties, insisted on a settlement based on a federation.
“We as the UBP think differently. We don’t believe that a model or concept, which we have failed to reach an agreement on for the past 50 years, is realistic or achievable,” he said.
KEY ACTORS
Töre
>> Common ground for a partnership state with GCs does not exist.
>> GC side unwilling to share political power and wealth with TCs.
>> Best thing to do is develop neighbourly relations. Talks should be held on issues like communication, electricity, health, natural disasters, transportation, environment, criminal matters, economy and trade.
>> Mobile phone and electricity deal pleasing developments.
Hasipoğlu
>> GCs rejected federal solution in 2004. Failure of federation model should have been announced right after that.
>> Federation model negotiated for 50 years not realistic or achievable.
Decentralization different from loose federation
Kibris Postasi
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Former TC negotiators Ergün Olgun and Osman Ertuğ argued there is a difference between a ‘decentralized’ federation and ‘loose’ federation’.
They claimed that the Greek Cypriot side’s proposal on decentralization is an attempt to absorb the Turkish Cypriots into the Republic of Cyprus.
Both said the Turkish Cypriot side’s proposed model is based on politically equal and sovereign constituent states transferring power to the central government. Olgun and Ertuğ accused Akıncı of allowing Anastasiades to draw discussions to his own playing field and implement his delaying tactics.
The former negotiators recommended the establishment of tripartite mechanisms with the two sides and the UN. They argued that the tripartite mechanisms will overcome the Greek Cypriot side’s lack of political will in implementing CBMs.
KEY ACTORS
KEY ACTORS
Olgun & Ertuğ (former negotiators)
>> Decentralization is different from loose federation. The former attempts to absorb TCs into RoC.
>> TC side’s position is based on politically equal & sovereign founding states to transfer power to the central government.
>> Akıncı is allowing Anastasiades’ to play out his delaying tactics.
>> Tripartite mechanisms should be considered to overcome GC side’s lack of political will in implementing CBMs.
Reserves do not necessarily mean utilization
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs, Kıbrıs Postası, Havadis, Afrika
Energy
OVERVIEW
ExxonMobil announced a major offshore gas find in Block 10 on Thursday. It is estimated that the size of the natural gas reservoir is between five and eight trillion cubic feet (142 billion to 227 billion cubic metres. The discovery is the largest find in the Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone so far.
Energy expert Serhat Uludağ said that the natural gas from Glafkos would be difficult to market on its own. Uludağ added, even by combining the other reserves discovered from Delphyne-1 and Aphrodite, the total amount would just reach 400 billion cubic meters. He said this was a significant amount, but due to increasing global LNG supplies, the LNG unit prices were coming down and therefore it would not be feasible to construct a Cyprus-Europe pipeline.
Such a pipeline, he added would be one of the longest ones in the world, and unless LNG prices went up in the global markets, it would not be cost effective to build. Uludağ also said that the findings at Glafkos exceeded the consumption capacity of Cyprus.
The expert stressed that each new discovery has the potential to deepen inequality and to increase tension between the two communities, thus Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots must agree on a method to collaborate on the issue of hydrocarbons.
Commenting on the discovery, Global Energy Research Partners Director Emin Emrah Danış said the discovery of reserves did not necessarily mean utilization.
He added an economic and political feasibility study was needed and claimed that the discovery, which is equivalent to Turkey’s three-year consumption, is quite small compared to the Zohr and Leviathan reserves. Danış reminded that the Turkish Cypriots have rights over natural resources discovered around the island and said any prospects on the utilization of the natural gas will require an assurance to safeguard Turkish Cypriot rights.
Danış underlined that Turkey, in addition to protecting the rights of the Turkish Cypriots, was conducting its own drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean with the Fatih drilling platform.
He said a second drilling vessel is on its way.
GC customs fine TC 2,500 Euros for ‘unregistered’ cargo
Diyalog
Economy
OVERVIEW
Greek Cypriot customs at the Ayios Dhometios checkpoint seized a cargo of tomatoes and red peppers from the North worth 3,800 Euros after the Turkish Cypriot driver failed to produce necessary documentation issued by the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce. Greek Cypriot authorities said that the seized cargo would be destroyed.
Diyalog questioned whether TC officials will react to the incident, the second in days.