GCC Press Review 30 Jan 2020

Front Page Headlines

Politis

They are giving new incentives for cheaper housing

The aim is to attract more developers to participate in the housing plans. The bar is even lower for the construction of affordable housing units. €22m in 2020 from the passports on rental apartments.

  • We avoided the worst on UNFICYP – ‘Corrected’ resolution.
  • Famagusta: Art does not forget
  • Paris-Athens: Strong friendship… on Macron’s watch.

Phileleftheros

Memories from 2004 at the UN Security Council

The effort to ‘normalise the situation’ with the pseudo-state was averted. The final text on UNFICYP has been agreed.

  • Upgrade of the trilateral with Israel on defence

Haravgi

Salaries are down, the profits of the few are up

The annual report of the Cyprus Labour Institute on the economy and employment for 2019 has shown that the income share of the capital has reached 51 per cent as percentage of the GDP compared to the 43 per cent in the 2010-2013 period. Meaning, it has risen by 8 per cent on the GDP. On the other hand, the share of wage earners was reduced by 7.5 per cent compared with 2013 as it dropped to around 48 per cent.

  • UNFICYP resolution with provision on a mechanism for direct military contacts
  • They sent a social card to a missing person

Cyprus Mail

Suspect escapes murder verdict

Last defendant in double murder found guilty of manslaughter.

  • Rewording of UN draft resolution seeks to avoid recognition fears

Alithia

Only one of them has to talk!

Football-Corruption. If Omonoias’ president names those who suggested to him to buy off referees or even the championship the yarn of corruption will unfold, because the first to be arrested will be forced to name a second person to improve his situation, the second the third and so on. That is why the government yesterday called on Mr Papastavrou to hand over to police the outlaws…

  • Security Council: Pushing for a solution to the Cyprus problem – The final text of the UNFICYP resolution has been agreed on. The two leaders are called on exerting efforts for achieving convergences on the main issues.

Main News

Nicosia succeeded in having unwanted references in UNFICYP mandate resolution removed

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
External Security, Negotiations Process, Regional/International Relations

OVERVIEW

The UN Security Council reached an agreement on the draft resolution on the extension of UNFICYP’s mandate for another six months while Nicosia was able to have references to direct cooperation between the two sides on various issues removed, the dailies report on Thursday.

President Nicos Anastasiades had a telephone conversation with UN envoy Jane Holl Lute.

According to the dailies, the draft, to be put to a vote on Thursday morning, New York time, calls for the establishment of an effective mechanism for direct military contacts between the sides and the relevant involved parties, and urges UNFICYP as facilitator through its liaison role, to submit proposals in this regard, leaving out any other matters.

It also welcomes the trilateral meeting of the leaders and the Secretary-General last November in Berlin, and welcomes the Secretary-General’s agreement to extend his efforts to achieve terms of reference and urges the sides and all involved participants to renew their political will and commitment to a settlement under United Nations auspices, including by engaging actively and with a sense of urgency with the Secretary-General and senior United Nations official, Jane Holl Lute.

The Security Council also calls upon the two leaders to put their efforts expeditiously behind further work on reaching convergences, reaffirm their political support for all technical committees, empower them to submit proposals for their consideration to enhance intercommunal contacts, and consider the advice of the Good Offices Mission regarding further ways to empower the technical committees and improve their performance, ensure effective coordination and cooperation on criminal matters. The leaders are also called to improve the public atmosphere for negotiation, including by preparing the communities for a settlement through public messages on convergences and the way ahead.

In the resolution, the Security Council expresses serious concern at the increased number of violations of the military status quo along the ceasefire line and calls once more on the sides to respect UNFICYP’s mandated authority in, and delineation of, the buffer zone. The resolution also calls on the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkish forces to restore the military status quo in Strovilia, which existed there prior to June 30, 2000.

It also requests the Secretary-General to submit by  July 10, 2020 a report on his Good Offices, in particular on progress towards reaching a consensus starting-point for meaningful results-oriented negotiations leading to a settlement and encourages the leaders of the two communities to provide written updates to the Good Offices Mission of the secretary-general on the actions they have taken in support of the relevant parts of this resolution since its adoption with a view to reaching a sustainable and comprehensive settlement. It also requests the Secretary-General to include the contents of these updates in his Good Offices report.

In the meantime, Anastasiades said on Wednesday afternoon he had spoken to Lute to whom he reiterated his determination and willingness to take part in an informal meeting to pave the way for the resumption of the reunification talks. “At the same time I did not omit telling her that Turkey’s actions  unfortunately, instead of creating the positive climate everyone expects prior to a creative dialogue … they exacerbated concerns and created a negative climate.”

The dailies report that the resolution text was changed following diplomatic consultations by Nicosia.

Phileleftheros reports that the aim of these consultations, was to have unacceptable references removed from the draft text which the British permanent representation to the Security Council has always been preparing. The daily also reports that Nicosia found itself again in a situation like in 2004 since it was faced with a coordinated effort by some circles that were are systematically working towards ‘normalising the situation’ through the idea of direct contact between the official institutions of the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus and the illegal institutions of the pseudo-state.

Politis reports that the resolution text has been improved although not all hurdles have been overcome. Nicosia’s aim was to prevent any references for direct contact for the solution of problems that could lead to indirect upgrade of the pseudo-state’s ‘authorities’, the daily reports. After backstage consultations, the relevant reference in the resolution is restricted to only military issues, the daily reports. It also reports that it is expected to be approved and UNFICYP’s mandate will be extended for another six months.

Cyprus Mail and Politis report that a large part of the debate focused on one of the paragraphs of the draft resolution, which called on the UN Secretary-General to submit a single report covering both his Good Offices and UNFICYP matters, while asking Cyprus’ leaders to provide updates to be included in the report. After political and diplomatic interventions involving Nicosia, the five capitals of the Security Council permanent members in New York, and friends of Cyprus, the paragraph was changed, the papers report.

KEY ACTORS
Security Council
>>
Calls for the establishment of an effective mechanism for direct military contacts between the sides & wants UNFICYP to submit proposals on this matter as the facilitator.
>> Welcomes the Berlin trilateral meeting and the UNSG’s agreement to extend his efforts to achieve ToR & urges the sides and other stakeholders to renew their political will and commitment to a settlement & engage actively and with a sense of urgency with the Secretary-General and Lute.
>> Calls on the two leaders to put their efforts expeditiously behind further work on reaching convergences & reaffirm their political support for all technical committees and empower them to submit proposals to enhance intercommunal contacts but also ensure effective coordination and cooperation on criminal matters.
>> Wants the leaders to improve the public atmosphere for the talks & prepare their communities for a settlement through public messages on convergences and the way ahead.
>>Seriously concerned by the increased number of violations of the military status quo along the ceasefire line & calls once more on the sides to respect UNFICYP’s mandated authority in the buffer zone.
>> Calls on the TC side and Turkish forces to restore the military status quo in Strovilia, which existed there prior to June 30, 2000.
>> Wants the UNSG to submit by July 10, 2020 a report on his Good Offices and on any progress towards reaching a consensus starting-point for the talks & include in it the reports by the two leaders on what they have done to implement what the SC requests in the resolution.

Anastasiades
>>
Determined & willing to take part in an informal meeting on Cyprus to pave the way for the resumption of the talks but Turkey’s actions create a negative climate that does not help the situation.


Italy, France express support for Cyprus over Turkish provocations

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Regional/International Relations, Energy, EU Matters

OVERVIEW

Phileleftheros, Alithia and Cyprus Mail report that Italy on Wednesday reiterated its full solidarity with Cyprus regarding Turkey’s continued illegal drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean following a meeting of Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides with his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio in Rome.

In a joint statement the two countries’ foreign ministries said that recalling the Conclusions of the European Council of October and December  2019, Italy reiterated its full solidarity with Cyprus on Turkey’s continued illegal drilling activities in Eastern Mediterranean, completely disregarding Cyprus’ sovereignty and sovereign rights. It said that the two ministers also agreed on the need to expedite the implementation of the decision of the EU, finalizing the listings on the regime of restrictive measures targeting those who are responsible for or involved in the illegal drilling activity of hydrocarbons in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The two ministers, welcoming the invitation last summer by the government of Cyprus to negotiate with Turkey, agreed that delimitation of exclusive economic zones and continental shelf should be addressed through dialogue and negotiation in good faith, in full respect of international law and in accordance with the principle of good neighbourly relations.
 
On the memorandum of understanding signed by Libya and Turkey on the delimitation of the continental shelf, the ministers reiterated that it is unacceptable, it infringes upon the sovereign rights of third states, it does not comply with the Law of the Sea and cannot produce any legal consequences for third states.

While in Rome, Christodoulides was to also meet with energy company ENI CEO Claudio Descalzi.
 
Haravgi, Politis and Phileleftheros also report that French President Emmanuel Macron sent a message of support to Greece and Cyprus against Turkey’s provocative actions in the region.

During a joint statement with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who was paying an official visit to Paris, Macron said that France supports Greece and Cyprus as regards the respect of their sovereign maritime rights, while denouncing the Turkish provocations. President of France stressed that this position reflects also the European Union’s stance.

In another article, Phileleftheros reports that Greece and Cyprus agreed on upgrading defence cooperation with Israel. According to the daily the issue of energy security in the region and the need to reinforce cooperation with Israel on this matter was extensively discussed at the sixth Intergovernmental Defence Council of Greece and Cyprus, which took place earlier in the week in Athens.  Nicosia and Athens aim at upgrading their cooperation with Israel to a trilateral alliance that would act as deterrent against actions by other countries, the daily reports.

KEY ACTORS
Italy
>>
Pledges full solidarity with Cyprus on Turkey’s continued illegal drilling activities in the East Med.

Christodoulides & Di Maio (Cyprus & Italy FMs)
>>
Agree on the need to expedite the implementation of the decision of the EU on sanctions against those involved in the illegal drilling activity of hydrocarbons in the East Med.
>> Welcome the invitation last summer by the government of Cyprus to negotiate with Turkey &  that delimitation of EEZs and continental shelf should be addressed through dialogue and negotiation, in full respect of international law & in accordance with the principle of good neighbourly relations.
>> The MoU between Libya and Turkey is unacceptable as it infringes upon the sovereign rights of third states, it does not comply with the Law of the Sea and cannot produce any legal consequences for third states.

Macron (France)
>>
 Supports Greece & Cyprus’ sovereign maritime rights against Turkey’s provocative actions in the region.


Theocharous calls on GCs to stop buying Turkish products or spending money in the north

Alithia
Economy

OVERVIEW

The daily reports that the head of the Solidarity Movement Eleni Theocharous called on all Cypriot citizens to avoid buying products made in Turkey arguing one cannot finance their conqueror.

She said that after the recent upgrade of the Customs Union agreement with the EU which Turkey signed with the other 27 member states but not the Republic of Cyprus, the Cypriot market has been inundated with Turkish products.

 Theocharous said it was the Republic’s duty to impose duties and taxes to the import of Turkish products so that they cannot be sold in the Cypriot market.

She also urged Cypriots avoid supporting financially the occupation regime through daily visits for the purchase of fuel and other products and by staying in hotels that were stolen by GCs or traveling through the illegal airport of Tymbou.

Theocharous said GCs are spending way too much money in the ports and airport and the casinos of the occupied areas, which, she said, was tragic given that a country under occupation is reinforcing its occupier.

She added that this however was up to each person’s level of patriotism, the paper reports.

KEY ACTORS
Theocharous (Solidarity Movement)
>>
Calls on GCs avoid buying Turkish products, to fill their vehicles’ tanks, holiday in hotels, gamble in casinos and use the ports and airport in the north as this reinforces the occupier.
>> Calls on the government to impose duties and taxes on the import of Turkish products to make them difficult to sell in the Cypriot market.
>>
Appeals to GCs’ patriotism to stop going to the north and spending money there.


Two leaders to attend opening of exhibition of exchanged art works

Cyprus Mail, Politis
CBMs, Human Rights

OVERVIEW

According to the dailies, the two leaders will attend an art exhibition of the paintings and audiovisual material by GC and TC artists recently exchanged between the two sides as part of a confidence-building measure (CBM) agreed by Nicos Anastasiades and Mustafa Akinci last February.

The exhibition will open to the public on February 4 at the Ledra Palace hotel in the buffer zone in Nicosia and will last until February 8.

The two leaders will attend the official opening of the exhibition, which consists of material that was recently exchanged between the two communities under the direction of the Bicommunal Technical Committee for Culture.

UNFICYP spokesman Aleem Siddique told the Cyprus Mail that the exhibition will feature never-seen-before TC archive footage, as well as some unique paintings made by GC artists, arguing that it will be a rare opportunity for the people of Cyprus to be able to enjoy the material that will be shown at Ledra Palace.

The exhibition will be held in the presence of the UN Secretary General’s envoy in Cyprus Elizabeth Spehar, and representatives of UNDP and the European Union. Members of the diplomatic corps, the mayors of Nicosia and Famagusta, and the owners of the art, have also been invited to the opening, the paper reported.


Ozersay’s speech at London university cancelled after reactions from GC students

Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Human Rights

OVERVIEW

Phileleftheros reports that an event at King’s College in London where TC ‘foreign minister’ Kudret Ozersay was the key speaker was cancelled on Wednesday after reactions by Cypriot students.

The event was organised by the university’s student Turkish Society.

The reaction by GC students was due to that Ozersay was to deliver his speech using his official title as ‘deputy prime minister’ and ‘foreign minister’, the daily reported.

Politis and Haravgi reported that Ozersay was to deliver his speech despite reactions by GC students.

Cyprus Mail reports that the TCs are raising the issue of direct flights with Britain with Ozersay holding contacts in London ahead of Brexit but also with ‘prime minister’ Ersin Tatar announcing he would be in London on February 11 with reports saying he was in contact with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson through some of his friends in the Conservative Party, on the issue of direct flights to the north.


State sends missing person social card for discounts

Haravgi
Human Rights

OVERVIEW

According to the paper, state services sent a missing person a social card with which he could obtain discount at shops and for services.

The sister of Andreas Artemiou, who has been missing since July 29, 1974 when his unit was attacked by Turkish soldiers in the area between Syharri and Dikomo, told Haravgi that the state recently sent her brother the social card.

Artemiou’s sister, Artemisia Christofidou told the daily this was shameful arguing that the state never cared for them during the past 45 years but now they were able to find her address to send her brother the card and put salt on their wounds.


Attack against ELAM’s Geadis was in self-defence, EDEK says

Cyprus Mail
Human Rights

OVERVIEW

The paper reports that EDEK on Wednesday admitted that one of their officials had hit ELAM’s spokesman Geadis Geadi but said it was in self-defence and had witnesses to prove it.

The incident took place on Monday in Larnaca after an event on the Cyprus problem. Geadi reported that he was beaten by an EDEK official as he was on his way to his car and sustained facial injuries. The alleged attack was reported to Larnaca police headquarters by Geadi who was accompanied by the head of ELAM Christos Christou

Geadi told Sigma TV on Wednesday that the cowardly attack against him was proof of EDEK’s political ethos and ideals adding that these political ideals “refer to dark ages of the past that unfortunately are making a comeback”.

Geadi added that his party has been unjustly attacked and blamed for incidents it is not involved in and that the instigators are those who have cultivated hatred against ELAM.

He also referred to the incident in March 2014 when around 100 ELAM members disrupted an event on the Cyprus problem in Limassol, where former TC leader Mehmet Ali Talat was the main speaker.

“No media reported that ELAM was acquitted in that case,” he said.

EDEK spokesperson Maria Panayiotou told the television station that Geadi’s accusation against the party’s municipal councillor were “baseless”.

Panayiotou said that Geadi swore at and attacked the EDEK official who responded in self-defence. She added that there are witnesses willing to testify to the police.

Panayiotou called Geadi a “thug”, the paper reports.


Man who kidnapped his children and fled to north sentenced

Phileleftheros
Internal Security, CBMs, Migration & Citizenship, Human Rights

OVERVIEW

According to the paper, a 43-year-old man from Jordan was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for the abduction of his three children.

The man, an asylum seeker, had abducted his three children aged 3,6 and 11 from his estranged wife in Limassol and crossed to the occupied areas aiming to travel to his country.

Authorities in the north had identified him and the children and the man was arrested. He and and the three children were delivered to the UN that arranged to hand them over to the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus, the daily reported. The handover was arranged through the bicommunal Technical Committee on Crime, according to the paper.


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