Front Page Headlines
Still burying solid waste
However, deal now been signed for one of two by-products from treatment plant to fuel the cement industry.
- Turkey to drill off Karpasia peninsula within a week says minister
We reveal Anastasiades’ CBMs (confidence building measures)
Akinci, who is politically isolated, now remembered the CBMs. Simerini managed to extract from sources close to the occupation leader, who now looks forward to his meeting with Nicos Anastasiades in the coming period, very specific information on what the GC side had suggested last February but which had never been seriously considered. Something, of course, that Akinci wants to do now after realizing he has been dangerously isolated and that Ozersay is now in charge of the game. Anastasiades’ proposal at the February 26 meeting was a package of 21 CBMs with the issue of Famagusta at the forefront.
- Aegean and Cyprus (Editorial)
- The installation of the S-400 in the occupied areas is in Russia’s hands
- Yiannakis Omirou: We will become ungrateful (opinion piece)
- Nikos Katsourides: Many evils follow a stray missile (opinion piece)
SOS by Cyprus on migrants
The government wants EU intervention. Of the 6,580 arrivals in 2019, 3,960 persons, meaning 60 per cent, have irregularly arrived through the occupied areas. Thirty thousand people are in our country either as applicants or beneficiaries of international protection. The administrative court will be exclusively examining appeals against rejections of applications for international protection.
- Greece: Normalcy is the bet – Polls show a double-digit difference between New Democracy (ND) and SYRIZA. The ND’s self-reliance is a big bet. The role of small parties. The elections and how they affect the Cyprob. The economy of Greece and the elections. What do the ND and SYPIZA suggest for the next day.
- The prophecies of the (Bishop of) Morphou Neophytos (on Cyprob, EEZ provocations)
Two scenarios on Famagusta
Discussion during a meeting in the occupied areas after Crans-Montana, presided by (Turkish FM Mevlut) Cavusoglu. Decisions on properties, Maronite villages, natural gas, trade. Jane Holl Lute comes to Cyprus.
- (Elderly) Refugees trapped in apartment buildings – 45 years later.
- Hurdles to (EU) measures against Turkey
- Peace process without peace? (Article on pressure to the GC side to agree to resumption of talks while Turkey violates Cypriot EEZ)
- The Titina Loizidou case and the ECHR (European Court of Human Rights)
- Loukis Loukaides: The survival of Hellenism in Cyprus demands coverage by a bigger power (opinion piece)
Call for the relaunch of Greece
Who will (ND leader Kyriacos) Mitsotakis rule with – The day after for SYRIZA while Tsipras is hoping for a surprise. Kyriacos Mitsotakis’ men in Cyprus.
- Nikos Christodoulides: Talks follow after the elections in Greece
- Cyprob-Diplomacy: The president’s letter satisfies every taste
- Russia: No to changes to the Cyprob
- Varosi also brings a Turkish base – The decision on a navy facility in Trikomo was taken by Ankara’s National Security Council.
- Two companies are leaving the (Turkish) drillships – It seems Nicosia’s legal measures against entities cooperating with Ankara have been effective.
- Main article: The Missile (on the aftermath of the fall of the S-200 missile on Pentadaktylos)
No trust in the president
AKEL’s fears have, once again, been confirmed, this time through the leak of the president’s letter to the UN Secretary-General. Its fears are being confirmed, because, as (AKEL spokesman) Giorgos Loukaides declares, the letter does not contribute to the relaunch of the talks from where they left off. Those in power say one thing and do another, he adds. AKEL does not feel lonely at all in its criticism of the president’s handling, he said.
- The Anastasiades-Spehar meeting in Limassol on Wednesday
- The Yavuz starts drilling within a week, (Turkish Energy minister) Fatih Donmez says
- Kourpetika: Cyprus’ secret language
Change of scenery – Why Tsipras is losing the elections
Call to Kyriacos Mitsotakis to rule Greece. CNBC: ‘The end of populism for Greece?’, SRF: ‘SYRIZA did not keep its pre-election promises’, The Times: ‘Tsipras was a necessary historical experiment – But his defeat was also necessary’, Liberation: ‘Elections with the taste of ashes’.
- Cyprob-analysis: Again with the joke of cost to Turkey
- Erdogan tightens control of the ‘TRNC’: He appointed a ‘coordinator for Cypriot affairs’
- Christos P. Panayiotides: Whoever is unable to beat the ass is happy to beat the saddle (opinion piece on the Auditor-general ordering a probe into the Cyprus Mail calling a village in the north by its Turkish name)
Main News
FM: UN expected to make a move on Cyprob after Greek elections
Kathimerini, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process, Territory, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
Kathimerini reports that according to Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides the UN will give a new push to the talks after elections in Greece.
Phileleftheros reported meanwhile that the UN special envoy is expected in Cyprus after the Greek elections, within the month.
In an interview with Kathimerini, Christodoulides said based on contacts with the UN, after the Greek elections, a new impetus will be given to the attempt to resume the talks.
He said the ideas for a resumption of talks put forward by President Nicos Anastasiades to the UN, aim at resolving issues of disagreement and do not go beyond the framework of a bizonal bicommunal federation.
Any effort to stray from this solution framework will be the most negative for the prospects of the country’s reunification, Christodoulides said.
On criticism to the government, Christodoulides
noted that if Anastasiades did not want the Cyprus problem solved, he would
just say so. “It’s simple to say no. The point is to create the
conditions to be able to say yes and that’s the hard part,” he added.
As regards Turkish activities in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone and what
measures could be taken against Ankara by the EU, he said the process is now at
the stage of drafting the options and the member states will decide by choosing
the appropriate measures.
He said the options would likely be scaled depending on developments, and implementation would be gradual since the goal is to stop the illegal actions and create the conditions for resuming the talks.
On the proposals regarding the fenced-off city of Varosha in Famagusta put forward by Turkish Cypriot ‘foreign minister’, Kudret Ozersay, Christodoulides said the latter was just aiming to kick-start his 2020 election bid.
“At the same time, I believe that the ‘crisis’ caused by the Famagusta issue could, under certain conditions, serve as an opportunity,” he said, adding that if Akinci agrees to Anastasiades’ proposal to set up a technical committee for Famagusta, ”which I personally think should consist of both GCs and TCs from Varosha, who can prepare a study on the rebuilding of the city”, this would be the best message to send, not only to Ozersay, but also to those who do not want a solution to the Cyprus problem or are thinking of a solution beyond a bizonal, bicommunal federation.
Christodoulides said there has been a lot of speculation about Anastasiades’ stance at the talks in Crans-Montana. “Is there any GC politician who would have achieved a solution that would end Turkey’s intervention rights and guarantees and say no?” he asked. Any GC leader who would achieve such a thing would be the historic leader of the Republic of Cyprus, he said.
He also dismissed claims that he was behind Anastasiades’ hardened stance on the Cyprus problem as insults and due to lack of arguments by some.
“I do believe in the reunification and security of all Cypriots and will continue to work toward that direction by utilizing every opportunity,” he said, according to Kathimerini.
Meanwhile, Phileleftheros reported that Lute is expected in Cyprus in July while the UN’s next steps are expected in September when there will be no drillings by Turkey and possibly within the framework of the UN General Assembly. Attempt for an informal five-party meeting on Cyprus is not being ruled out, Phileleftheros reports.
KEY ACTORS
Christodoulides
>> Expects that the UN would make a move on the Cyprob after Greek elections.
>> The ideas Anastasiades pitched to the UN aim at resolving issues of disagreement and are not outside the BBF framework since any effort to stray from this framework will seriously harm reunification prospects.
>> If Anastasiades did not wish to solve the Cyprob it would have been easy for him to say so; the challenge is to create the conditions to be able to say yes.
>> EU measures against Turkey aim at making her stop her illegal actions in the EEZ and create the conditions for resuming the talks.
>> The so-called Famagusta crisis is a ploy by Ozersay to kick-start his 2020 election campaign but it could be seen as an opportunity if Akinci accepts Anastasiades’ proposal for a technical committee to prepare a study on the reconstruction of the town. This would be a message to Ozersay and all those thinking about alternative solutions.
>> Asks Crans-Montana sceptics on GC stance what reason Anastasiades or any other GC politician would have to refuse a solution ending Turkey’s intervention rights and guarantees since such a thing would have been a historic development.
>> Denies claims he is negatively influencing Anastasiades on Cyprob by counter arguing he is in favour of the reunification of all Cypriots and will continue to work toward that end.
GC side’s proposed CBMs call for opening Famagusta port to EU upon return of Varosha
Simerini
CBMs, Negotiations Process, Property
OVERVIEW
Simerini, citing sources close to Akinci, reveals the 21 CBMs Anastasiades had submitted to the TC leader last February and which, the daily said, had been completely ignored by Akinci until now that he feels left out by Ozersay and Ankara.
The paper said that its sources in the occupied areas who are now not happy with Ozersay’s move on Varosha, admitted that the proposal-package of last February which was a follow-up of the initiative developed before the American Vice President Joe Biden who visited Cyprus in 2014, could be a solution to the current internal problems they face, but also change the negative climate as regards the Cyprus problem.
As regards Varosha, Anastasiades suggested the appointment of a committee of GC and TC experts to carry out studies on the reconstruction of the town with the help of the UN, and the demilitarisation of the town. It also provides for allowing the Varosha property owners to return while for works to start on its reconstruction with funds from the EU and other states and international organisations.
Anastasiades also suggested that the Famagusta port could open for the transport of goods only to EU countries and after all steps on the return of the legal residents to Varosha were completed. The port would be controlled directly by the EU Commission, the paper reports.
The rest of the CBMs also include installing road signs in the occupied areas with the original names of places and archaeological sites to facilitate GCs visiting those areas, the opening of the Athienou-Pyroi-Aglandjia and Kato Pyrgos-Kokkina crossings, opening a crossing in Nicosia within the walls, and more support to the Committee on Missing Persons and the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage. He also proposed the creation of new technical committees, and facilitating vehicles carrying goods through the Green Line Regulation as well as lifting restrictions for the trade from the free to the occupied areas, Simerini reported.
The proposal provided for an agreement on all CBMs to avoid the TC side choosing only the ones that were more favourable to them, Simerini reported.