Front Page Headlines
Akamas plan nobody wants
After over 30 years, bitter fight continues over future of Akamas despite new plan
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- Loucas Fourlas: “Turkey is spitting in the EU’s face without any consequence”
- Savvas Iakovides (opinion): Is Anastasiades in the position to save the Republic of Cyprus at the five-party?
- Yiannakis L. Omyrou (opinion): On a loose or decentralised federation
- Petros Th. Pantelides (opinion): The marked deck of the five-party against the Republic of Cyprus
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While Brussels are underlining their presence, Ankara and other countries have the opposite opinion.
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11-year-old with drugs!
What else will our eyes see. Unprecedented drug use case involving a boy from Limassol, who was found with traces of cocaine and cannabis in his system and was transferred to hospital in a comatose state. The father of the minor was arrested, who says he did not give his son drugs, but declares that he is a user.
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Main News
Divergent positions on Cyprob by GC parties raising concerns
Alithia, Kathimerini, Politis, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Politis reports that the GC side’s stance and the initial positions to be tabled at the informal meeting in Geneva have been clarified, but the tactics that are to follow during the course of discussions are still being worked out, with the weight of preparations falling on the shoulders of the negotiating and legal teams that have been set up to deal with Cyprob. The largest share of the weight of responsibility however falls upon President Nicos Anastasiades, the paper writes, who is tasked with showing that he is able to not only deter Turkish actions in Varosha and in the EEZ, but is also able find ways to get Turkey to the formal negotiating table.
Politis reports that Anastasiades’ stance is to fully stick to the six points of the Guterres framework in pursuit of a bizonal bicommunal federation (BBF) with political equality.
Politis reports that local and foreign diplomatic circles are expressing their desire for real progress to come out of the Geneva meeting, and are claiming to be hesitant over Anatasiades’ insistence that party leaders accompany him to the meeting. The paper writes that such a development would limit the President’s flexibility and ease of movement in dealing with certain matters and find common ground. The diplomatic sources told Politis that the strong opinions held by a number of political parties are not contributing to a constructive resumption of negotiations through mutual compromise.
The other point of view, Politis reports, is that Anastasiades is aware that he will be called to deal with intense pressure, especially if he is called by Turkey and the TC side to assess a change in the basis for negotiations and the solution framework, and is also aware that the meeting is anything but informal since a joint declaration might be issued and it is also possible that the UN Secretary General (UNSG) might draft a new basis for negotiations. The paper argues that by asking political leaders to tag along, pressure is mounted onto the TC leader Ersin Tatar, who has yet to decide how he will handle TC political leaders in favour of a BBF.
In light of Friday’s plenum which dealt exclusively with the Cyprus problem, Politis reports that the GC political scene is divided into two camps. AKEL and DISY form the main components of the first camp, who stress that Anastasiades must seek a BBF with political equality and effective participation, and that he insists on the Guterres framework while being flexible with constructive proposals that could keep Ankara on the path of the agreed-upon solution framework. The second camp includes DIKO, EDEK, Solidarity and Citizens’ Alliance, who claim that danger lurks behind the Geneva meeting, and refer to well-meaners (Britain) who are attempting to eradicate the Republic of Cyprus.
Alithia reports that both AKEL and DISY support the GC side’s participation in Geneva without preconditions, while remaining parties are stressing that the Republic must participate with a clear understanding of the meeting as a trap, while some reject a BBF solution. Nevertheless, all parties barring ELAM will be accompanying Anastasiades to Geneva due to the knowledge that the meeting is crucial for the Cyprus problem.
Kathimerini reports citing information that behind closed doors, Britain is posing obstacles to the participation of the EU in Geneva, not in order to fully block the EU but in order to fortify its own position and to force the EU to align with its ideas, which the paper writes lean toward a confederal solution. But the paper also reports that sources said that the EU doesn’t consider its participation up for discussion, as the EU will be present in Geneva with the same role it held during talks in Crans-Montana, as a technocratic player monitoring the compatibility of what is being discussed with the acquis communautaire.
Phileleftheros reports that Turkey’s plans, which will be pursued not so much at the informal summit but at formal negotiations that will likely be held in June, involve a pursuit for a confederation and sovereign equality, noting that Ankara will likely refer to a broad formula for political equality that will lead to sovereign equality. If talks fail, the paper writes, Turkey will move to conduct new faits accomplis, starting with Varosha and the Cyprus EEZ. Phileleftheros reports that this information was also relayed by the British in an attempt to persuade the GC side to be more flexible and generous. An open possibility is also the annexation of the north with Turkey on the model of Crimea through a controlled referendum, the paper writes. Phileleftheros reports that in the face of this, the GC side must draw red lines on what is not up for discussion, which must include a confederal model and sovereign equality.
Meanwhile, in an interview with Politis, former Foreign Minister and current member of the GC negotiating team Ioannis Kasoulides, stressed the importance of the Geneva meeting in leading to a resumption of formal talks that could bring about a settlement, noting that all agree that the current status quo is not only unsustainable but is also dangerous.
Kasoulides said the GC side must respond to the Turkish side’s narrative against a BBF and in favour of two states, noting that he understands references to two states, a confederation, and sovereign equality as terms with the same substance, as all refer to two sovereignties. He said the GC side must table a clear position on political equality that leaves no room for doubt and that is streamlined with the definition given by the UNSG in his report to the UN Security Council (UNSC). This would mean that political equality would take the form of effective participation in decision-making processes, and not numerical equality. Kasoulides said that given that both sides have concerns about the functionality of effective participation, the decentralisation of certain matters could prove effective.
Kasoulides said another important element that must be addressed is both communities’ feeling of security, noting that both sides must table what would make them feel secure. Kasoulides said important steps in this direction were made with the former TC leader Mustafa Akinci, and currently further steps could be taken with Anastasiades’ proposals for confidence-building measures (CBM). He said the GC side must remain open to when these CBMs will be agreed-upon and implemented, be it before or after a solution, but noted that the only issue is when either measure will be implemented, noting that for example the assignment of the management of the Tymbou airport and of aviation via the airport would have to be implemented in unison with the assignment of the administration of Varosha to the UN, as per relevant UNSC resolutions. Additionally, he said, the opening of the Famagusta port would have to be implemented in unison with the opening of Turkish ports to ships under the Cyprus flag.
He said that his own positions for establishing a climate of security among GCs is the abolition of the guarantees system and the withdrawal of Turkish troops, while an international police force with training in repressing clashes that could intervene if asked by the federal police or by the police force of either community could contribute to feelings of security among TCs. Another possibility is to ask UNFICYP to remain for a certain amount of years with a clear mandate, that could be expanded to allow the UN to monitor and intervene across the island should confrontation between communities emerge. He said that also an option is to agree on a gradual withdrawal of Turkish troops, which would give TCs a greater feeling of security in the early years, providing time for trust to be built.
Kasoulides also said that the new US administration is expected to be more involved in Cyprob, and could contribute constructively. Regarding EU participation, Kasoulides said the EU won’t be acting as a lawyer for either side, stressing the importance for the EU to participate even with the status of observer.
KEY ACTORS
Kasoulides (Roc)
>> Geneva meeting important in leading to a resumption of formal talks that could bring a settlement since alll agree that the current status quo is not only unsustainable but is also dangerous
>> GC side must respond to Turkish side’s narrative against a BBF with clear position on political equality that matches UNSG’s definition
>> Decentralisation of certain matters could prove effective in dealing with issues that may arise with political equality
>> Feeling of security among both sides must be addressed – Anastasiades’ CBMs proposals could prove effective
>> Climate of security among GCs would require the abolition of the guarantees system and the withdrawal of Turkish troops
>> TCs could feel secure through establishment of international police force with training in repressing clashes that could intervene if asked by the federal police or by the police force of either community
>> UNFICYP could also remain remain for a certain amount of years with a clear mandate, that could be expanded to allow the UN to monitor and intervene across the island should confrontation between communities emerge
>> Open to a gradual withdrawal of Turkish troops, which would give TCs a greater feeling of security in the early years, providing time for trust to be built