GCC Press Review 19 Nov 2021

Front Page Headlines

Politis

They’re setting up ‘checkpoints’ for the insubordinate

The noose is tightening for the (army) ‘ditchers’, with checks, handing out Individual Invitation Sheet (FAP) and fines at airports, ports, and crossing points.

  • Nikos Nouris: He’s continuing the ‘vendetta’ with KISA
  • Azeri case: The ‘link’ found in the occupied areas
  • Electricity: New lifting of weight for households
  • 388 new cases yesterday: Vaccination the only way out

Phileleftheros

Grey zones for Guarantees

The the top-secret UN minutes say about the meeting between Guterres-Anastasiades in Crans-Montana. The UNSG appears to have hidden what Cavusoglu had told him.

  • The appointment of Guterres’ envoy in the dark
  • They were united by the proposal for the funding of parties
  • ‘Red’ to events during the Christmas period: New measures for the pandemic coming

Haravgi

The pressure from AKEL and Parliament forced the government to concede on VAT

Concession of the Finance Minister also under the weight of inflation (4.4%)

  • London: Contacts of the AKEL GS with a focus on the Cyprus problem. Meeting with Morton
  • Pandemic: The situation for crossings through checkpoints at ‘dark red’
  • 66-year-old COVID-19 patient died. 388 new cases and 86 patients

Cyprus Mail

Gas projects back on track

Precise quantity of natural gas found in Block 10 expected to be revealed in 2022

  • Further cut to VAT on electricity bills

Alithia

20 doctors with income over half a million each

Andreas Papakonstantinou: The abuses do not burden the HIO’s budget but the doctors themselves. The Organisation is examining ways of reducing abuses. Which formula is it examining and why it froze the admission of Hippocrateon into GESY.

  • Natasa Pilides: The results of drills in the findings in ‘Glafcos’ in March
  • From November 22: Crossings through checkpoints in ‘dark red’
  • 4320 uncollected: TCs aren’t paying traffic fines!
  • They should first learn the Greek language and then be incorporated into normal classes
  • An English woman is asking from the heirs of her Cypriot partners to give her two apartments in Limassol
  • Towards the EU: Government proposal for a three-month 9% VAT reduction in electricity

Main News

UN minutes from Crans-Montana UNSG-Anastasiades meeting released

Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

In a new leak of top-secret UN minutes taken at the Crans-Montana negotiations, Phileleftheros reveals the contents of a meeting between UN Secretary General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres and President Nicos Anastasiades.

The daily reports that in a meeting on July 6, 2017, at 6:15pm – just before the dinner that saw the process collapse – Guterres told Anastasiades that Turkey was ready to accept the abolition of guarantees and intervention rights, even though, the paper writes, this is not what emerges from the previously-released minutes detailing two meetings between Guterres and Turkish Foreign Minister Melvut Cavusoglu.

The leaked minutes show that Guterres told Anastasiades that that the Treaty of Guarantee would be replaced by an implementation and monitoring mechanism. Guterres also said Turkey was not in a position to accept the complete withdrawal of all its troops from Cyprus, through this could happen at a later date.

Anastasiades requested to know whether Turkey would play a role in the mechanism, with Guterres responding that this was not discussed, but expressed the opinion that different entities and protagonists could play some role in the monitoring of the implementation process. Phileleftheros reports that this was not true, since during Guterres’ meeting with Cavusoglu it became clear that for Turkey, the mechanism would be comprised by the guarantor powers who would retain their rights of intervention.

Anastasiades responded that he could not accept any role by Turkey in the implementation mechanism, since even though the abolition of the Treaty of Guarantee would be a positive development, he could not accept its replacement with a monitoring mechanism in which Turkey would play a role. He also said he could not accept the continuation of the presence of Turkish troops.

To this, Guterres responded that Turkey was ready to significantly reduce the number of its troops and this number would be subject to review at a later date.

Anastasiades then replied that he did not believe that Turkey really intended to accept the abolition of the Treat of Guarantee, arguing that Turkey wants to transfer its role into the implementation mechanism and hide its true intentions with the abolition of the Treaty.

Guterres responded that the Treaty was faulty, and its abolition would offer a true opening for negotiation. He also said he would try to bring the positions of the two sides closer.

Anastasiades then said that Turkey wants to have a military base where its troops would be stationed in Cyprus, noting that this was an idea by Eide and Nuland. He then said that Cyprus is an EU member state, and posed the question of what sort of independence would be achieved if the island will still have a military base.

Guterres then told Anastasiades that the abolition of the Treaty of Guarantee would form a first step, and then it would be possible to discuss the withdrawal of troops, noting that ‘zero troops, zero guarantees’ was a non-starter. He added that the proposal submitted by the GC side was good because it contained useful elements for the implementation mechanism. Guterres suggested broadening the proposal’s scope to achieve more consensus, concluding that if this did not work then it would be difficult to move forward.

Anastasiades had told Guterres that he was concerned about what would be announced as a result of the bilateral meetings with Guterres, stressing that he would never accept a half-agreement that would only refer to guarantees and intervention rights, and which would not refer to troops. He said he wanted the complete withdrawal of troops from the first day, since anything other would not be acceptable and he would not present it to his people. Phileleftheros reports that here Anastasiades was referring to an interim agreement that was being pushed by Britain and the UNSG’s then-Special Adviser on Cyprus.

Guterres said that since he saw no consensus coming from the discussions, he would report back on the bilateral meetings to the plenary session during the working dinner that night.


AKEL leader meets with UK’s Morton

Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process

OVERVIEW

AKEL leader Stefanos Stefanou was in London on Thursday and met with the UK’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for European Neighbourhood and the Americas, the dailies report.

Stefanou told Morton of his concerns regarding the Cyprus problem and briefed her on his proposals. In statements after the meeting, Stefanou said Morton shared his concern for the ongoing impasse in the Cyprus problem as well as for Turkey’s actions, which violate UN resolutions and intensify faits accomplis which hinder prospects of resolving the Cyprus problem.

Stefanou added that he shared with Morton AKEL’s position in favour of the continuation of efforts to break the impasse and also shared the details of the party’s proposal which was submitted to President Nicos Anastasiades. He said the two shared a very useful discussion and agreed to stay in touch regarding the prospects of resuming Cyprus problem negotiations.


FMs of Cyprus, Greece, Egypt, France to meet in Athens

Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Regional/International Relations

OVERVIEW

The Foreign Ministers of Cyprus, Greece, Egypt, and France are set to meet in Athens on Friday to discuss topics including developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Cyprus problem, and the Middle East, the dailies report.

Energy cooperation and international challenges such as the pandemic, climate change, and migration will also form part of the meeting’s agenda. The quadrilateral meeting is part of the regular coordination between Greece, Cyprus, and Egypt with France under the 3+1 format.

Prior to the meeting, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias will hold a bilateral meeting with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian. The two Foreign Ministers will first meet in private and then the Greek and French delegations will hold extended talks.

Dendias and Le Drian are expected to focus on the upgrading of bilateral relations with the signing of the Strategic Partnership Agreement, as well as on developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Cyprus problem, developments in Libya, and the Sahel region. They are also expected to discuss the strengthening of multidimensional cooperation in areas of common interest.

Phileleftheros reports that the meeting is set to boost the role that France is seeking to play in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East regions, a role that the paper says is constantly drawing a reaction from Turkey. The paper writes Turkey’s reaction mainly stems from the fact that it is being kept on the outside, and from the way in which such meetings highlight its negative role as regards regional peace and security.


Crossings rules change as conditions downgraded to ‘dark red’

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi
Internal Security

OVERVIEW

The dailies report that an assessment by the bicommunal Technical Committee on Health led to the downgrading of the pandemic conditions on both sides to ‘dark red’, leading to stricter rules at crossings from Monday.

Citing a UN statement, the dailies report that starting 9am on Monday, vaccinated people crossing to and from the north must present a seven-day negative COVID test, while those who are unvaccinated will need to present a 72-hour negative test. Exempt from these rules are high-school pupils and people residing in Kato Pyrgos, who will need a seven-day negative test regardless of vaccination status.

The UN statement added that fully vaccinated persons with EMA approved vaccines, as well as Sinovac, Sinopharm, or Sputnik vaccines, may cross with a seven-day negative rapid test or PCR test, given that 14 days have passed since their second dose or first Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The dailies report that the Committee has been assessing the epidemiological situation continuously and has also exchanged data on a bi-weekly basis.


Block 10 drilling results expected by Spring 2022

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Phileleftheros
Energy

OVERVIEW

The consortium holding the concession on block 10 in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) are making final preparations for follow-up drilling to narrow down the precise quantities of natural gas in place, with the results expected sometime in spring 2022, Energy Minister Natasa Pilides said Thursday according to the dailies.

She was speaking at a press conference she called taking stock of the Energy Ministry’s work over the past year, the dailies report.

Pilides said other offshore exploratory projects are likewise getting back on track following the delays caused by the coronavirus situation, stressing that the government is prepared to deal with any Turkish provocations.

Regarding the ‘Glafcos’ reservoir in block 10, she said the consortium of Exxon Mobil and Qatar Petroleum are almost ready to launch an appraisal drill at the site. Final preparations are underway for the drillship and the crew. Work would take several months, she added, noting that results are not expected in terms of the quantities before February to March 2022.

On how the reservoir’s gas would be commercialised, Pilides said a number of options are on the table, depending on the final quantities – although piping the gas to a terminal in Egypt was the likeliest scenario.

Asked about Turkish reactions, she said that these are being monitored and that all actions are being taken by the President of the Republic and the Foreign Ministry. She said it is believed that the drilling programme will proceed uninterrupted, and that any Turkish provocations will be dealt with through diplomacy and the tools that international law affords us.

Regarding the ‘Aphrodite’ reservoir in block 12, Pilides said she has met with the licence holders, Chevron, who are assessing the economic and technical data they inherited from the previous operator, Noble Energy. She said that within the first months of 2022 we expect to have specific proposals from the company as to whether they can find synergies with projects underway in Israel or in Egypt, so that development of the reservoir can proceed as soon as possible. But as things stand, she said, the ‘Aphrodite’ gas would most likely end up in Egypt.

On the joint venture of ENI and Total, holding the concession on block 6, Pilides said they are planing a new drill in the first half of 2022, possibly in the first quarter.


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