Front Page Headlines
EU: One step forward and two steps back for Turkey
Positive agenda for migration moving forward, the customs union on ice for now.
- USA-Greece: Getting ‘linked’ by defence cooperation
- Refshuffle: The next day brought friction and criticism
- Nikolatou findings: 7,000 words of babbling and excuses from Odysseas
- Is the nightmare returning? They’re looking for incentives for vaccination
In person with Guterres
The UNSG is squaring the circle meeting Anastasiades and Tatar tomorrow Friday. The Turkish Cypriot leader mobilised and managed to get a meeting.
- Turkish soldiers barged into the ‘Maria-Bouboulina’: GC fishermen lived nightmarish moments
- Reshuffle is done, we’re moving forward with reforms
- Waiting lists appearing again at public hospitals: Doctors are leaving and patients are piling up
- Pandemic grinding its teeth again: We reached three-digit numbers again
- New support for tourism as hopes are proven false
- €150 million tourist investment in Pyla from an American fund: The ‘Beau Rivage’ being demolished
They’re accepting neither the custody of Turkey nor a two-state solution
Turkish Cypriots in the streets again to defend their identity.
- Cyprus problem: Mr. Guterres will also meet with Mr. Tatar in Brussels
- Reshuffle: Instead of synergies they were seeking accomplices for their policies…
- Behind the ‘blackness’ of pages is an obvious self-serving (passports findings)
- European ‘slap’ for the case of painter Gabriel
- Cases getting out of control… We’re being driven to a 4th wave of the pandemic!
Pressure on the young to get the jab
‘Shocking’ surge of likely Delta variant cases but vaccination take up plummets
It’s the assistant’s fault!
Odysseas Michaelides: Shifting the blame for naturalisations. Throwing the ball of responsibility to others for the deficient auditing that the findings of the Investigative Committee are assigning to him. Odysseas: I will report the Republic to the EU once again for bias.
- Antonio Guterres: He will see them both
- Turkish Cypriots taking to the streets: ‘We want to mix with the world. We don’t want to be closed off and isolated’ – Erhurman: We won’t accept the custody of Turkey
- Provocation by Turks: They even asked for a coffee!
- Palestine: No delimitation of EEZ with Turkey
- USA: Bill for a defence cooperation with Greece approved
- Health Ministry: Cases increasing. Over 90% of hospitalisations are unvaccinated
Main News
Guterres to also meet with Tatar at margins of EUCO
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
TC leader Ersin Tatar will travel to Brussels for a meeting with UN Secretary-General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres on Friday, it was announced on Wednesday according to the dailies.
Citing a written statement issued by Tatar’s office, the dailies report that Tatar will be traveling to Brussels on Thursday ahead of Friday’s meeting. He will be escorted by his special representative Ergun Olgun and other officials.
The dailies write that the meeting was arranged after Tatar asked for one through Guterres’ Special Envoy on Cyprus, Jane Holl Lute on Tuesday, after it was announced that President Nicos Anastasiades would talk with the UNSG in Brussels on Friday on the margins of the European Council (EUCO). Guterres will meet with both leaders separately, Phileleftheros reports.
Phileleftheros reports that Guterres’ Brussels meetings with both leaders will serve to show what the next steps will be for the Cyprus problem, given that Guterres is already equipped with Anastasiades’ readiness for a joint meeting with Tatar. But the paper writes that Tatar remains unwilling for a joint meeting as he is insisting of certain conditions for the process to move forward.
Phileleftheros reports citing TC media that during his meeting with Guterres, Tatar is expected to explain his six-point proposal packet submitted during the informal summit held in Geneva in April and to exchange thoughts on ‘cooperation models’. The paper, citing other information, reports that Tatar is also intending on submitting a proposal that will seek two states domestically but a single international representation post-solution.
Politis reports that Anastasiades’ intentions are clear: He will express readiness of actively participate with a constructive role so that the process can move to substantive talks on the basis of what has been agreed and in the framework of a bizonal, bicommunal federation (BBF). Anastasiades will express readiness for a joint meeting with Tatar and Guterres, and will also express readiness for discussions on the confidence-building measures (CBMs) he has already submitted. The paper writes that Anastasiades will also ask the UNSG to ensure that new faits accomplis in Varosha, the island’s EEZ, or even in every aspect concerning Ankara’s presence in Cyprus, are avoided. Anastasiades will also push Guterres to include in his upcoming reports to the UNSC both sides’ stance in Geneva, and particularly Turkey’s stance which strayed from UN parameters.
Phileleftheros reports that for Guterres, the point is not to hear the two sides’ positions once again, but to ensure that new meetings are set for the autumn period. The paper writes that Guterres may ask the two leaders to come together again with the remaining three parties in September in New York.
Meanwhile, Phileleftheros and Haravgi report on a meeting held between the DIKO leader Nicholas Papadopoulos and the UNSG’s Special Representative Elizabeth Spehar. The paper writes that during the meeting, Papadopoulos told Spehar that his party’s position is that the UNSG must ensure that the process will not stray from UNSC resolutions. Papadopoulos also stressed that the convening of a new informal summit without a reaffirmation of the basis of talks would be a mistake, since the first such meeting saw Turkey and the TC side officially table a two-state solution. The paper notes that Papadopoulos also said that the ‘squaring of the circle’ between a federal and two-state solution would be disastrous for Cyprus.
Alithia also reports on an announcement issued by EDEK ,which issued a renewed call for an international instead of a five-party summit on the Cyprus problem, by including the five permanent members of the UNSC.
KEY ACTORS
Papadopoulos (DIKO)
>> UNSG must ensure that Cyprob process will not stray from UNSC resolutions
>> Convening of a new 5+1 without a reaffirmation of the basis of talks would be a mistake, since the first such meeting saw Turkey & TC side officially table a two-state solution
>> ‘Squaring of the circle’ between a federation & two states would be disastrous for Cyprus
EDEK
>> International summit with the participation of the UNSC P5 should be held instead of a five-party summit
GC fishing vessel harassed by Turkish coastguard
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Phileleftheros
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
A Cypriot fishing vessel was harassed and damaged by the Turkish coast guard on Tuesday as it attempted to fish in international waters some 20 nautical miles off Apostolos Andreas, the dailies report.
The incident was reported by Aristos Aristidou, the owner of Ta Psarokaika, the company which operates the vessel, the Maria-Bouboulina. Aristidou spoke to the Cyprus News Agency on Wednesday morning, reporting that it was the first venture “for a long time” since a serious incident in 2018 led to the seizure of another fishing vessel and the arrest of its five-member crew, Cyprus Mail reports.
Aristidou said that on Tuesday, the Turkish coast guard requested that the vessel is stopped before eight people arrived on an inflatable boat and boarded the fishing vessel. The six-member crew including Aristidou were then asked a series of questions, including as to why there was a Greek flag flying from the vessel and why it had so many antennas.
Aristidou said they responded that it was a European vessel and that they were fishing. Later on, Aristidou said the fishermed were told to leave and the Turkish coast guard drew a line on the map about two kilometres from Dherynia and claimed that the area beyond that was in the Turkish EEZ and not to go there again.
The owner of the vessel further claimed that damage was caused to the electrical system of the ship during “checks” which were carried out by the Turkish coast guard. Phileleftheros and Alithia report that the damage amounts to around €50,000.
Phileleftheros reports that Aristidou requested that the relevant Ministries and House Committee takes all steps necessary to resolve issues relating to fishing and matters relating to the Green Line.
Alithia reports that the vessel returned to the old Limassol port by early afternoon on Wednesday.
Demonstrations in north to oppose Turkish grip
Alithia, Haravgi
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Turkish Cypriots will be taking to the streets with massive demonstrations against the ‘government’ and Turkey’s grip on the north, the dailies report.
The Republican Turkish Party (CTP) said it would not accept going under the custody of Turkey and announced that it would taking to the streets to express its determination to defend the will of TCs for self-determination. In a press conference on Wednesday, CTP leader Tufan Erhurman said attempts are being made to render the TCs a people without agency. Erhurman also said democracy and human rights and freedoms are being driven to collapse, while TCs are also being driven to poverty.
Erhurman said TCs are one of the two elements of Cyprus, which he said must mix. He also expressed his opposition to the TC side’s Cyprus problem stance, noting that the TC leader’s demand for the recognition of the north or else the de-recognition of the Republic of Cyprus is futile. Erhurman said political equality must be accepted and that a comprehensive federal solution must be sought, adding that Varosha must be opened on the basis of international law to motivate towards a solution.
Demonstrations by the CTP began on Wednesday in Lefka and will continue on Thursday in Trikomo, while the coming days will also see demonstrations in Famagusta, Kyrenia, Morphou and Nicosia.
The dailies also report that the leader of the Communal Democracy Party (TDP) Cemal Özyiğit also said that the TC people do not need a policy that further isolates them from the world, but one that will integrate them into the international community. He said his party’s aim is a reunified, bizonal, bicommunal federal Cyprus with political equality, a single sovereignty, international personality and citizenship.
Alithia reports that Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said in a joint press conference with ‘prime minister’ Ersan Saner that Turkey must create a north Cyprus that can stand on its own two feet, adding that he is working towards a “strong ‘TRNC’, that is sovereign, on the basis of two states.” Oktay said he and Saner exchanged opinions on all ongoing projects in the north and developments in political, economic and cultural areas, adding that Turkey’s support will continue, particularly as regards transport and development projects. On his part, Saner reiterated that the TC side’s two-state solution policy was chosen by the TC people during the latest elections.
KEY ACTORS
Erhurman (CTP)
>> Demonstrations will be held in several areas across the north to defend will of TCs for self-determination
>> Going under the custody of Turkey is unacceptable
>> Attempts are being made to render the TCs a people without agency, while democracy, human rights & freedoms are being dismantled and TCs are being driven to poverty
>> TCs are one of the two elements of Cyprus, which must mix
>> Tatar’s demand for recognition of the north or else the de-recognition of the RoC is futile
>> Political equality must be accepted, comprehensive federal solution must be sought & Varosha must be opened on the basis of international law to motivate towards a solution
Özyiğit (TDP)
>> TC people do not need a policy that further isolates them from the world, but one that will integrate them into the international community
>> TDP seeks a reunified Cyprus through BBF with political equality, a single sovereignty, international personality and citizenship
Oktay (Turkey)
>> Need for the creation of a north Cyprus that can stand on its own two feet
>> Working towards a strong ‘TRNC’ that is sovereign, on the basis of two states
>> Turkey’s support will continue, particularly as regards transport and development projects
Saner
>> TC side’s two-state solution policy was chosen by the TC people during the latest elections
US Senate Committee approves bill boosting US-Greece defence ties
Alithia, Politis
Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
US Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) applauded the Committee passage of their new legislation to bolster the United States’ defence partnership with Greece.
Entitled the US-Greece Defence and Interparliamentary Partnership Act of 2021, the bipartisan legislation boosts support for Greek military modernisation by authorising new transfers of American military equipment and fostering increased multilateral engagement among Cyprus, Greece, Israel, and the United States.
The Parliamentary Engagement within the 3+1 Framework authorises the establishment of an interparliamentary group among Cyprus, Greece, Israel and the United States to serve as the legislative component of the 3+1 process launched among the governments in March 2019.
In a joint appeal to member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Julie Rayman, Senior Director of Policy and Political Affairs of the American Jewish Committee and Andy Zemenides, Executive Director, of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, urge them to support the U.S.-Greece Defence and Interparliamentary Partnership Act, legislation that has bi-partisan support.
This legislation, it notes, would deepen the U.S.-Greece alliance and make Greece an even more dependable partner by advancing Greece’s military modernisation, authorising new transfers of American military equipment to Greece, and investing in the 3+1 partnership between Cyprus, Greece, Israel, and the United States that is redefining the Eastern Mediterranean.
Chairman Menendez said he was very proud to see the Senate Foreign Relations Committee come together in support of this “common-sense legislation” that not only bolsters Greece’s efforts to modernise its armed forces, but also strengthens the US’ bilateral defence relationship.
Chairman Menendez said he looks forward to continue working with his colleagues to secure Senate passage of the U.S.-Greece Defence and Interparliamentary Partnership Act so they can continue promoting security cooperation and lasting stability in the Eastern Mediterranean for years to come.