GCC Press Review 30 June 2021

Front Page Headlines

Politis

The Cyprus problem in its final death throes and Famagusta is being lost

Dramatic statements by Andreas Mavroyiannis on the schemes of the Turkish side

  • Turkey: Seeing… enemies and accusing the USA and EU
  • Cyprus EEZ: Drill ships setting off
  • The crossings of… inconvenience: Citizens think its on purpose
  • Statements from all and on everything: Business, property, election costs
  • They’re counting on the safepass and privilege: The young are the goal
  • Tourism: Necessary turn to European markets

Phileleftheros

He’s ordering a new criminal investigation

Decision by the Attorney-General after the new facts of the death of Thanasis 16 years ago. Loucaides: We want criminal investigators not policemen.

  • Cavusoglu rushing to the occupied areas
  • Messengers of the memory of Isaak-Solomou
  • Measures but also incentives to push vaccinations forward on the table today
  • Ceremony with new ministers and evaluation of past eight years

Haravgi

Tourism going from bad to worse

90% dive in in revenue compared to 2019 and 60% compared to last year.

  • Dramatic warnings from GC negotiator
  • Potential link of vaccine with death of 42-year-old under investigation

Cyprus Mail

Covid decisions due Friday night

Both president and health minister say a return to strict measures not now on the cards.

  • Gas drilling to resume later this year says Pilides

Alithia

Tayyip Erdogan preparing for a tourist opening of Varosha

On July 20: A series of inauguration ceremonies from the Turkish president. Cavusoglu in the occupied areas today for talks. Turks say no to appointment of special representative of the UNSG.

  • Andreas Mavroyiannis: It’s far too late, we’re losing Famagusta too
  • Natasa Pilides: Drill ship in our EEZ again in November or December
  • Coronavirus measures tomorrow

Main News

Mavroyiannis: Immediate action necessary before it’s too late

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

GC negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis said on Tuesday he was very concerned about developments in Varosha and called for immediate action before it is too late.

The dailies report that Mavroyiannis was speaking at the presentation of a policy paper on the Cyprus problem after the five-party summit written by Professor Andreas Theophanous, president of the University of Nicosia’s Cyprus Centre for European and International Affairs.

Referring to the issue of Famagusta, Mavroyiannis said that this was perhaps the final phase of the “complete destruction of prospects for the solution and reunification of the country.” He added that “I am very worried that if something does not happen yesterday, very soon, it will be too late for both Famagusta and our occupied areas, and for the solution of the Cyprus problem.”

Mavroyiannis said that what Turkey and TC leader Ersin Tatar are seeking as their priority are not two separate states in Cyprus but two entities, which jointly set some specific responsibilities and especially issues of external representation and representation in the EU. That way, he said, on the one hand they have their independence, and on the other hand Turkey can control the whole of Cyprus and have a say in the EU.

After Tatar’s election as TC leader, Mavroyiannis said, the Turkish side spoke about two states and then tried to present as a concession that they would settle for sovereign equality.

“This, in fact, is a deterioration of the concept of the two states,” Mavroyiannis said, as what Tatar and Turkey are seeking was a formation that will jointly handle some very specific responsibilities and which, when it collapses, “will leave us all hanging, and there will be no possibility of returning to the status quo ante.”

Meanwhile, Phileleftheros reports that MEP Lefteris Christoforou raised the issue of Turkish actions in Varosha with the EU, and requested that the EU intervenes to make Turkey respect EU decisions and deter new faits accomplis.

KEY ACTORS
Mavroyiannis
>>
Famagusta perhaps the final phase of the complete destruction of prospects for the solution and reunification of Cyprus
>> Worried that if something doesn’t happen soon it will be too late
>> Turkey & TC side don’t want two states but two entities that will jointly set some specific responsibilities & especially issues of external and EU representation, granting TCs independence & Turkey complete control of Cyprus and a say in EU affairs
>> Sovereign equality worse than a two-state solution, since if that collapses, the GC side will be left hanging with no possibility of returning to the status quo ante


Tatar announces Cavusoglu visit to Cyprus

Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

TC leader Ersin Tatar said the Turkish Foreign Minister Melvut Cavusoglu would be flying into the north on Wednesday, with contacts to be held the following day, the dailies report.

Phileleftheros reports that the Cavusoglu’s visit is likely motivated by Tatar’s recent meetings with the UN Secretary General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres and his Special Envoy Jane Holl Lute. Politis reports that Cavusoglu’s meeting with Tatar on Thursday will focus on the Cyprus problem and developments in Varosha. Alithia reports that also up for the discussion is the UNSG’s proposal for the appointment of a special representative on the Cyprus problem.

Announcing Cavusoglu’s visit, Tatar said his team is in constant contact with the Turkish Foreign Ministry, since the issue of Cyprus has as much to do with Turkey as with the north. Tatar said Cavusoglu’s visit “gives us strength”, noting that such visits “are very important as regards the direction of our policy.”

Phileleftheros reports that Tatar also said that Cyprob negotiations cannot be successful if they stick to mind frame of “he’s the Republic of Cyprus and I’m a community.” He said that the GC side believes that TCs are doomed to accept a solution because of the effectiveness of the embargoes against TCs which would definitely lead them to merge with the Republic of Cyprus (RoC). But, Tatar said, TCs have created their own ‘state’ and won’t be submerged in to the RoC, nor will their ties with Turkey be severed.

Politis writes that Tatar also said that if there are no developments in the Cyprus problem, this stagnancy will push countries that share friendly relations with Turkey to recognise the north, but said this would not be an easy feat. Alithia reports that Tatar said that the north hosts students from over 100 countries, and enjoys trade relations and accepts tourists from as many countries. The north, therefore, is a ‘state’ with all kinds of relations with the world, and is not recognised only due to pressure exerted by the RoC.

Regarding the UNSG’s proposal for the appointment of a special representative, Alithia reports that Tatar said that during the Geneva five-party summit, he rejected the proposal because it was bound with a packet of four points proposed by Guterres and which referred to the Guterres Framework, to which Tatar said he could not remain committed to. In Brussels however, Tatar said, the UNSG said something different, to the effect that the special representative would be tasked with figuring out whether common ground exists between the two sides. Tatar said that since this was already the task of Jane Holl Lute, he didn’t quite understand the necessity of appointing a second person, but said the north and Turkey would examine the UNSG’s proposal.

Alithia  and Haravgi report that Tatar said that during the scheduled visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the north on July 20, Erdogan will be hosting several inauguration ceremonies, including that of the touristic opening of Varosha.

Alithia reports that before departing for the north, Cavusoglu will on Wednesday be meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Antalya. The paper writes that Lavrof also held a telephone conversation with Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides on Tuesday, with the Cyprus problem among the main topics of discussion.

KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>>
Cavusoglu’s visit gives TCs strength & such visits are very important as regards the direction of TC policy
>> Cyprob negotiations cannot be successful if they stick to mind frame of ‘he’s the Republic of Cyprus and I’m a community’
>> The GC side believes that TCs are doomed to accept a solution & merge with RoC due to effectiveness of embargoes against TCs, but TCs have created their own ‘state’ and won’t be submerged in to the RoC, nor will their ties with Turkey be severed
>> If there are no developments in Cyprob, this stagnancy will push countries that share friendly relations with Turkey to recognise the north, but this would not be an easy feat
>> Recognition of north hindered only by GC pressure, since north enjoys all kinds of relations with the world
>> During his visit, Erdogan will host several inauguration ceremonies, including that of the touristic opening of Varosha


Isaak-Solomou annual motorcycle ride to take place

Alithia, Phileleftheros
Human Rights, Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

The 25th annual motorcycle procession to honour the memory of Tasos Isaak and Solomos Solomou, who were killed by Turkish forces in the Dherynia buffer zone in August 1996, will set off on July 1, the Isaak-Solomou Memorial Initiative said on Monday.

The procession will pass through Greece from July 1-11 and will wrap up with an event in the Nicosia centre on July 17. This year’s procession has been titled Memory Runs Again and its aim is to emphasise the importance of a shared struggle between Greece and Cyprus, a written announcement said. It will also seek to commemorate 200 years since the Greek War of Independence by visiting sites that will stir up “memory and historical consciousness”, the dailies report.

Beyond preserving the memory of past events, the riders will also call for the execution of the arrest warrants issued against those wanted for the killing of Isaak and Solomou, the papers report.


Gas drilling to resume later this year, Pilides says

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Energy

OVERVIEW

US oil major Exxon Mobil will resume offshore drilling for natural gas later this year, Energy Minister Natasa Pilides said on Tuesday according to the dailies.

Speaking to reporters after attending a session of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Pilides said Exxon will return to block 10 of Cyprus’ EEZ around November to December. ENI and Total will follow, she said.

The contract with the rig has already been signed, while the government is in the process of issuing the necessary permits. Pilides said experts from the US and elsewhere – who will take part in the drilling operations – have started arriving in Cyprus. She added that Cyprus is on a good track and hopes to not have any surprises.


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