Front Page Headlines
Problem solved through resignation of Costas Clerides
Appointment of George Savvides and Savvas Angelides sped up. N. Anastasiades: It would not have been a problem if Attorney General wanted to remain to end of July. He departed while repeating his narrative of being pursued and undermined.
- Josep Borrell saw everything: And now on to Ankara
Britain a double-edged knife
On the one hand the fear of incoming cases, on the other hand concerns about tourism. Hopes of tourism from new markets don’t seem to materialise..
- Complaints from Akinci because he wasn’t visited: Josep Borrell saw Yavuz up close
- Mitsotakis – Erdogan agreed to have dialogue
Solidarity needs to turn to action
Borrell: EU begins a dialogue with Turkey. Mitsotakis – Erdogan open communication channel. AKEL: Government needs to make its intentions clear.
- Limnitis checkpoints also opens. The rest remain
Gangland hit in Ormidhia
Murdered man was present at the 2016 Ayia Napa killings.
- High flyers (Borrell and Angelides)
- Historian called to apologise for saying Famagustans ‘ran away’ during invasion
He left and everything went calm
A strange change in attitude by Attorney General who quit while attacking everyone.
- After a long time: Mitsotakis and Erdogan talked again on the phone
- Josep Borrell: He flew over the EEZ and saw with his own eyes
- Limnitis checkpoint: Reopened normally!
- Occupied areas: Life imprisonment for child-murdered who killed her 7-year-old son
Main News
Borrell flies over Cypriot sea as Mitsotakis and Erdogan begin dialogue
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
External Security, Energy, Regional/ International Relations, EU Matters
OVERVIEW
EU High Representative Josep Borrell visited Cyprus on Friday in order to discuss issues related to Turkey’s illegal actions in the country’s EEZ, ahead of a discussion of Turkish – EU relations during next month’s Foreign Affairs Council, the dailies report.
After his meetings with President Anastasiades and Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides on Thursday, Borrell met on Friday with Defence Minister Savvas Angelides. The dailies report that the two flew on a military helicopter close to Turkish drillship “Yavuz”, which operates in the Cypriot EEZ.
According to reports, Borrell and Angelides flew up to a distance of six nautical miles from “Yavuz”. Angelides posted a picture of himself and the European official in the helicopter on Twitter.
In a comment published on Phileleftheros, it is pointed out that most of the flight covered the mountain villages of Limassol and Paphos, and that the two officials did not venture even into plot 1 of the Cypriot EEZ. In fact, the journalist notes that the helicopter flew over Cyprus’s territorial waters 30 kilometres south-west of Paphos. “Yavuz” was at that time about 45 kilometres further south.
Politis reports that during his contacts in Cyprus, and his contacts in Greece earlier in the week, Borrell was informed in depth over the positions of the two countries regarding Turkey’s actions in the region, as the High Representative is preparing an overview of the EU’s relations with the country.
The newspaper recalls that in his public statements, Borrell said that he will be carrying specific messages to Ankara when he travels there for contacts shortly.
Politis reports that there has been concern in Nicosia over Borrell’s statement that the aim is to improve relations with Turkey and de-escalate the tension. The newspaper notes that these concerns are related to the possibility that de-escalation occurs before Ankara makes specific moves to denote its good-will, such as ending illegal drilling or putting an end to threats against Greece.
AKEL spokesperson Stefanos Stefanou said that the party sees Borrell’s statements as positive, but that what is expected is for the EU to show real support to Cyprus, Haravgi reports. Stefanou called on the government to clarify what actions it expects from the EU as part of the wider EU-Turkey dialogue opening up.
He also underlined that the government’s aim should be de-escalation and a solution to the Cyprus Problem, in order to invalidate any excuse presented by Turkey for not entering into a dialogue with the RoC over EEZ delineation.
DIKO deputy president Christiana Erotokritou noted Borrell’s statement on EEZ delineation and called on the government to take diplomatic, political and legal steps in order to make this a reality.
In another development, Phileleftheros reports that Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Tayip Erdogan had their first telephone conversation in months on Friday afternoon. According to information cited by the newspaper, the two leaders agreed to resume bilateral dialogue in order to de-escalate current tensions, and discussed the handling of the pandemic in their respective countries.
The agenda of the conversation reportedly included the question whether the EU would open its borders to Turkey after July 1st, migration and religious freedoms.
Also, Foreign Minister Christodoulides is scheduled to visit Athens on July 2nd in order to discuss the situation in the region with Greek counterpart Nicos Dendias.
Meanwhile, Phileleftheros reports that T/C leader Mustafa Akinci was displeased with the fact that Borrell did not chose to meet him during his visit. The newspaper points out that Borrell’s visit was specifically intended as an overview of Turkey’s actions against Greece and Cyprus, which is why he was given a tour along the Green Line in Nicosia and flown over the EEZ. The newspaper points out that Akinci would have used the visit as a pre-election tool ahead of October.
Akinci expressed his disappointment that Borrell left Cyprus without having contacts with the Turkish Cypriots and pointed out that in the past he had met former HRVP Federica Mogherini, as well as the former presidents of the European Commission and Council, Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk.
He also said that despite Borrell’s stated aims were to see how complex problems in the region could be solved, he did not bother to listen to the perspectives of the T/C side. He also repeated his proposal regarding hydrocarbons and pointed to European officials that leaving the T/C side out of this process does not contribute to peace and stability.
In another development, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijarto visited Cyprus on Friday for bilateral talks with his Cypriot counterpart. In statements after the meeting, Szijarto reiterated his government’s stance against illegal migration, while Christodoulides told the media that he informed his counterpart of developments in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Szijarto also said that Hungary and Cyprus can deepen their cooperation in energy, and expressed Hungary’s interest in seeing natural gas from the Eastern Mediterranean transferred and sold to south-eastern and central Europe.
Limnitis checkpoint becomes latest crossing point to reopen
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Internal Security, Human Rights, CBMs, Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The Limnitis checkpoint, which gives the residents of the area of Kato Pyrgos and Polis easier and faster access to Nicosia and the rest of Cyprus, re-opened on Friday morning, the Cyprus News Agency reports.
The checkpoint had been closed three months ago due to the coronavirus pandemic. It is one of the few checkpoints that did not reopen after the two sides eased restrictions in recent weeks. Authorities at the checkpoint will check the temperature of everyone crossing and will require a health certificate issued in the last 72 hours, as per government guidelines.
Cyprus Mail reports that UNFICYP head Elizabeth Spehar is expected to begin talks with both leaders in July, ahead of the UNSG’s report on renewing UNFICYP’s mandate. The meetings are expected to take place separately via teleconference on July 5th and 10th, and the report is expected to be published on July 10th. Spehar will be briefing the UN Security Council through teleconference as well.
Politis recalls that as things stood on Friday, the T/C side has opened the checkpoints at Pergamos, Strovilia, Agios Dometios and Ledras. The T/Cs have not opened the checkpoints of Deryneia and Ledra Palace. The G/C side is keeping the Ledras street crossing closed, citing concerns over possible overcrowding.
In a statement to CNA, Kato Pyrgos community leader Nicos Kleanthou said that there was little traffic through the checkpoint since its opening, due to the fact that it took place towards the end of the working week.
Kleanthous underlined the regional importance of the checkpoint and pointed out that the inhabitants of the area faced a lot of difficulties during the closure period. He also thanked President Anastasiades for his decisive intervention.
UNFICYP spokesperson Aleem Siddique told CNA that the UN welcomed the opening of the crossing, “following the engagement between the leaders and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Elizabeth Spehar to coordinate action on the crossings”.
Siddique also told the Cyprus Mail that the mission is ready to assist both communities with the opening of the remaining crossing points.
CMP implements coronavirus protocols in contacts and funerals
Politis
Human Rights, CBMs
OVERVIEW
Politis reports that the Committee for Missing Persons will be implementing new health safety protocols during its visits to relatives of people whose remains have been identified and during funerals.
The new health protocols were drawn during a meeting of the government’s Office for Missing Person, the G/C representative at the CMP, the Church of Cyprus, the Ministry of Defence, the leadership of the National Guard, the Police, the Coroner Services and representatives of groups of relatives of missing persons.
It has been decided that only up to 10 people should be present in total during visits to relatives. In cases where the participants cannot maintain the prescribed two-meter distance, the visiting member of the CMP should wear a protective mask.
Relatives of the missing will be able to visit the CMP’s Anthropological Laboratory only after making an appointment, and only after making sure the visitors had not had COVID-19 symptoms in the past 14 days. There will be a 15-minute break between appointments so that the area can be cleaned and ventilated. All visitors will be tested for temperature.