GCC Press Review 14 Dec 2019

Front Page Headlines

Politis

The way has been paved for oil-free electricity

Years of efforts resulted in an agreement yesterday on LNG infrastructure. Works will start in the first three months of 2020. Efforts begin for the arrival of gas supply within 2022.

  • Akinci: Reactions over guarantees

Phileleftheros

The practical measures are next

The high-level summit (European Council) repeated October’s decisions on Turkey. Provocative disagreement from Bulgaria’s prime minister.

  • Spehar: Stability in Cyprus due to UNFICYP
  • Reports that they are pushing fish from Turkey
  • (Ahmet Davutoglu) From an associate, is now Erdogan’s adversary

Haravgi

Cry for help for the rescue of hospitals

The main precondition for GESY’s success is robust public hospitals and the government is called to provide answers to the problems. But the possibility remains of doctors shutting down hospitals again in case their demands are not satisfied and the problems that torment healthcare professionals and patients persist.

  • Foggy atmosphere over the arrival of LNG
  • The Armenian monastery in the Halevga area is being restored

Cyprus Mail

Boris vows swift Brexit

UK PM Johnson delivers biggest Conservative win since 1987.

  • Turkish drones to fly from north in gas search
  • Government signs €290m gas infrastructure deal

Alithia

Brexit does not scare us

Johnson is taking Britain out of the EU, but for one more year everything will remain as is. Generally, the assessment is that the Brexit consequences will be minimum on Cyprus and manageable while we will be able to deal with any negative developments with the appropriate measures.

  • European Council: Condemnation of Turkey but in ‘mild tones’
  • AnastasiadesAkinci will attend on Monday a conference by the Technical Committee on Education
  • The conservation of the Armenian monastery begins
  • LNG terminal: Cyprus entering a new era
  • Turkeys ire over the recognition of the Armenian genocide from the Congress

Main News

Leaders to attend same bicommunal event

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process, CBMs, Human Rights

OVERVIEW

The dailies report that the two leaders, Nicos Anastasiades and Mustafa Akinci, will attend and address the opening of a  bicommunal conference at Ledra Palace on Monday organised by the Technical Committee on Culture.

The conference is part of the ‘Imagine’ bicommunal programme that brings together pupils and teachers from both sides of the divide as part of promoting education for a culture of peace and non-violence.

UNSG’s Special Representative in Cyprus, Elizabeth Spehar, and a representative of the German embassy in Nicosia will also attend the opening.
 
In total, 100 headmasters of primary and high schools from both sides of the divide will participate at the conference whose aim is to look into the role of school leaders in promoting peaceful co-existence and inter-cultural education that promotes human rights.

In the meantime, Phileleftheros and Politis also report that Akinci’s statements stirred reactions by GC parties with some criticising the government on the way it has been handling things.

DIKO said Akinci confirmed that the Guterres Framework does not call for zero troops, zero guarantees and that the TC leader repeats the same things Ankara has been declaring; that the old system of guarantees will be abolished but new ones will be introduced, or that guarantees will be abolished and Turkey will only guarantee the TCs.

It is time for some to stop maintaining illusions that Akinci has a different approach from Ankara, the party said.

EDEK too said that Akinci’s statement confirms what the party has been saying all this time on the risks looming from the announcement of the UN Secretary-General during the trilateral which speaks of an interim strategic agreement.

This, in essence, negates the principle that nothing is agreed if everything is agreed, EDEK said.

ELAM said Akinci’s statements confirm the docility that governs the political approaches of the Republic of Cyprus, while at the same time present the devastating concessions made. The party also said it is clear that in the Guterres Framework there are no references to ‘zero troops and zero guarantees’ but calls for new adjustments which proves wrong those stating otherwise.

KEY ACTORS
DIKO
>>
Akinci’s confirmation that the GF does not call for zero troops, zero guarantees and the fact that he echoes Ankara’s positions on the matter, is proof that the TC leader does not have a different approach from Turkey. This should be a wake-up call for some.

EDEK
>>
Feels justified over its warning that the Berlin trilateral posed risks, since the interim strategic agreement mentioned means that nothing is agreed if everything is agreed no longer stands.

ELAM
>>
Akinci’s statements confirm the docility that governs the political approaches of the RoC & present the devastating concessions made.
>> The clarifications made that the GF does not mention zero troops & zero guarantees but new adjustments, proves wrong those stating otherwise.


GC fishermen suspect fish from Turkey sold in the market

Phileleftheros
Economy, CBMs

OVERVIEW

The daily reports that GC fishermen complain that more and more TCs bring fish, which are believed to have been imported from Turkey, through the Green Line Regulation at almost half the price.

The head of the Larnaca professional fishermen, Loizos Ioannou, told the daily that there has been an increase lately in the sale of fish from the north by TCs claiming to be professional fishermen or sellers who obtain certificates by the TC Cypriot Chamber of Commerce that they were caught in the occupied areas.  Their fish is sold at almost half the price GCs sell theirs.

Ioannou said that taking into account the number of fishermen in the occupied areas and the quantities they have the ability to catch one can conclude that it is not possible to bring these large quantities of fish to the free areas. He also said that since it is not possible to check if the documents they present were indeed issued by the TC Chamber of Commerce, it cannot be documented that that fish comes from the sea of occupied Cyprus.

 He told Phileleftheros that GC fishermen, who, on top of problems caused by the large population of  Lagocephalus pufferfish, damage caused by dolphins and poor catch, they now also see consumers in the Larnaca district prefer buying cheaper fish from the TCs.


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