GCC Press Review 30 Nov 2019

Front Page Headlines

Politis

Standing by for the government reshuffling

The president will decide during the weekend and will call those who are staying and those leaving. All scenarios open, with surprise names in ministerial posts. DISY with new faces in parliament on Friday.

  • Natural gas: They are concerned in parliament
  • (Agriculture Minister Costas) Kadis: He has a plan on halloumi
  • Turkey-Libya: They raised controversy

Phileleftheros

A plot twist on (contracts for) buses

Turmoil in Nicosia, Larnaca, Famagusta and intercity buses that are changing hands. Four contracts to MLKP consortium for 2020-2030.

  • Τurkish games in the East Med

Haravgi

New landscape in public transportation

The new public transportation contracts for Nicosia, Larnaca and Famagusta have been granted to MLKP Malta Lines and Kapnos Airport Shuttle Ltd. At the same time, the contracts for Limassol and Paphos are pending with the transport ministry turning to the Attorney-general for advice.

  • Increase in the sheep and goat milk production by 50 per cent by 2027

Cyprus Mail

€250m for mountains

Commissioner resigns over conflict of interest claims as plan to revive Troodos outlined.

  • Departing Juncker says he is no fan of halloumi
  • People: Former Poly Peck associate on busy life, (overturned) spell in jail

Alithia

It has been ‘sealed’ and is on the way

Reshuffling – The president has decided and will make announcements during the weekend. Prodromos Prodromou is the key figure among three posts. Which ministers are leaving and which are coming. Domino of changes also in DISY after the resignations of Stella Kyriakides and Solon Kasinis and the upcoming appointment in ministries of some of its top brass.

  • Memorandum with Libya: Turkey distorts and forges
  • Supreme Court: Second ‘No’ to TC to sell her property
  • Juncker on Cyprus: I ate too much halloumi but I did not tell them I did not like that “rubbery stuff”.
  • Support scheme: New prospects for milk and halloumi

Main News

RoC: Libya-Turkey agreement a serious violation of international law

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

OVERVIEW

According to the dailies, the Cyprus foreign ministry on Friday condemned the announced agreement between Turkey and Libya on their maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean Sea.

The foreign ministry said in an announcement that such a delimitation if done, would constitute a serious violation of international law.

“It would be contrary to the recognised principle of the convention on the law of the sea and the rights of islands’ EEZ,” it said.

According to the foreign ministry, the Memorandum of Understanding has not and does not produce in any way, any legal effects that interfere with the legal rights of the Republic of Cyprus or that of other coastal states.
 
“By distorting the rules of the Law of the Sea and misrepresenting geography, Turkey will not be able to assert a legal footing in the Eastern Mediterranean,” it said, adding that on the contrary, Turkey’s actions prove once more that its positions with regard to international law are a minority of one. 

The ministry also said that this was true also for Turkey’s positions, included in a recent letter of the country’s Permanent Representative to the UN to the UN Secretary-General. The letter, which includes a reference to coordinates in the maritime area west and north of Cyprus, “in violation of any notion of international law, overrides the legal rights of the Republic of Cyprus in relation to its maritime zones”.
 
It also said it dismisses the Turkish positions and unfounded claims and will respond appropriately with an official letter to the UN.

Phileleftheros and Alithia also give an overview of reports in Turkish newspapers that see the agreement as historic and that this move by Turkey hinders Cyprus, Greece and Egypt from signing agreements on their own exclusive economic zones (EEZs).

KEY ACTORS
Cypriot MFA
>>
Condemns the Turkey-Libya agreement which, if true, is a serious violation of international law anyway as it is contrary to UNCLOS and the rights of islands’ EEZ.
>> The agreement does not affect the RoC’s legal rights or that of other coastal states.
>> Distorting the rules of the Law of the Sea & misrepresenting geography is no way for Turkey to assert a legal footing in the East Med, it rather proves once more that her positions on international law are a minority of one. 
>> Dismisses as unfounded earlier claims by Turkey to coordinates off the west and north of Cyprus that violate any notion of international law & override the RoC’s legal rights in its maritime zones.


‘UN ready to support leaders for more CBMs’

Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process, CBMs

OVERVIEW

Some mobility is expected soon to discuss ways to keep the Cyprus problem process alive until spring when the TC elections are taking place while the UN call for more CBMs, the dailies report.

Phileleftheros, citing sources, reports that the UN and the two leaders do not want to let the results of the Berlin meeting unutilized therefore consultations are expected soon on how to keep the process alive up to ‘elections’ in the occupied areas.

Nicosia finds the results a good one and that there has been a good perception of the facts.

The daily reported that both sides feel that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres showed he wants to help and the statement after the meeting was mostly due to the fact he truly wanted to help. No one knows, however, what comes next and what Turkey’s intentions are, especially after April. Diplomatic circles told the daily no one can predict how Turkey will react after the ‘elections’ in the occupied areas. According to a scenario from the TC side, the five-party meeting is expected to take place towards the end of May and the talks to start in mid-Summer, the daily reports, adding that diplomatic circles, however, say things don’t point out towards that direction.

 The paper also reports that UN envoy Jane Holl Lute will continue for the moment to be involved in the process since the weight of continuation of efforts falls on her shoulders.

The dailies, citing an interview of UN Spokesperson in Cyprus Aleem Siddique with the Cyprus News Agency, reported that the UN official said Technical Committees have a role to play in the current climate while the prospects for resumed negotiations remain uncertain.

He also said the UN continues to encourage the leaders to consider further confidence-building measures (CBMs) and stands ready to assist and support them in these efforts.
 
The dailies report that in his latest report on his Good Offices, the UN Secretary-General refers to a stocktaking exercise conducted by the UN, to assess the strengths and challenges the Technical Committees are facing. The stocktaking exercise is expected to be concluded by the end of this year.
Siddique said the Technical Committees can be an important vehicle for bringing the two communities closer together, implementing practical and impactful bi-communal initiatives and mobilizing support for increased dialogue.  In this regard, the signs of revitalization of the Technical Committees, as demonstrated by increased activities and initiatives, are important, he said, adding they expect to see more progress in the period ahead.
 
According to Siddique, the information gathered through the stocktaking exercise has indicated that, in general, the committees are responding to their overall mandates and that successful projects and initiatives have been undertaken which have brought the two sides closer together.
 
The information has also shown some challenges, including the continuing lack of sufficient resources, secretarial support or cooperation from the relevant authorities as well as delays in decision making, he adds.
 
“As noted by the Secretary-General in his report, in order to fully exploit the potential of the Technical Committees, the sides should further strengthen the ongoing efforts to revitalize them and to intensify their work through providing them with sustained resources and strong political backing from the leaders,” the UN Spokesperson said.
 
Siddique also said that several Technical Committees have already received support from the European Commission-funded facility, to implement projects and initiatives in a variety of fields. More projects and initiatives are being formulated, as the interest from the Technical Committees continues to grow, indicating that there is an increased awareness of the facility’s potential, he said. He added that the facility will continue to consider the proposals of the Technical Committees to provide support to their work and enhance their impact and visibility.

KEY ACTORS
Siddique (UN)
>>
Technical Committees have a role to play in the current climate at a time when the prospects for resumed negotiations remain uncertain since they can help bring GCs & TCs closer together, implementing practical and impactful bi-communal initiatives & mobilizing support for increased dialogue.  
>> UN continues to encourage the two leaders to consider further CBMs & stands ready to assist and support them in these efforts.
>> Signs of revitalization of the Technical Committees are important & the UN expects to see more progress.
>> The Committees are responding to their overall mandates and their projects brought the two sides closer together but they continue to lack sufficient resources, secretarial support or cooperation from authorities as well as delays in decision making.
>> Recalls that Guterres called for further strengthening of the ongoing efforts to revitalize the Committees & intensify their work through providing them with sustained resources and strong political backing from the leaders.


Translate »