GCC Press Review 4 Dec 2021

Front Page Headlines

Politis

He made his tiara a shield for migrants

The historic visit is being completed and Pope Francis is departing for Athens.

Phileleftheros

Unique blessing for Cyprus

Messages of unity from Pope Francis in the bridge between East and West. The President sent messages beyond Cyprus, Tatar sent bitterness and they mocked him.

  • Ankara provoking and threatening for plot 5
  • Findings on Al Jazeera soon from the Legal Service

Haravgi

Reduction of VAT in electricity to deal with expensiveness

The proposal for a reduction from 19% to 9% approved by Parliament.

  • Pope Francis: Pope Francis: The worst thing is that we get used to tragedies…

Cyprus Mail

Brotherly love

Cyprus could be ‘workshop of fraternity’, pope says.

Alithia

Response to terrorism with guards, cameras and patrols

Primary schools being fortified. Ministerial decisions to boost the feeling of security among students, educators and parents. Parents: “Schools should be open, and those guilty brought before justice.”

  • New threats: Turkey reacting over plot 5
  • Like a humble pilgrim

Main News

Nicosia counters Ankara’s Block 5 criticism

Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Energy

OVERVIEW

Turkey’s reaction to news that the government has awarded the rights for the exploration of offshore Block 5 to the ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum consortium, demonstrates, yet again, Ankara’s utter disregard for conventional and customary international law, the Foreign Ministry said on Friday according to Cyprus Mail.

In response to a warning by Ankara that it will never allow any foreign country, company or vessel to engage in unauthorised hydrocarbon exploration activities in what it refers to as its maritime jurisdiction areas, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Block 5 lies within the EEZ/continental shelf of Cyprus.

Cyprus Mail reports that the Ministry said the exploration and/or exploitation of Block 5 is an exclusive sovereign right of Cyprus and does not affect the rights of any third state, including Turkey. Block 5, it added, lies within the exclusive economic zone/continental shelf of Cyprus, in a marine area to the south-west of the island, already delimited since 2003 in accordance with international law, between the relevant opposite coastal states, the Republic of Cyprus and the Arab Republic of Egypt.

The expansion of ExxonMobil’s presence in Cyprus’ EEZ/continental shelf constitutes a vote of confidence to Cyprus’ energy strategy, it added. Turkey deliberately fails, once again, it said, to comply with international law, by making groundless claims and disregarding the position of the international community in full support of the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus in its own EEZ/continental shelf.

The Foreign Ministry said the Republic of Cyprus will resolutely continue its policy in the field of hydrocarbons, in full respect of international and European law, the daily writes.

The dailies report that the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Thursday the move by the Cypriot government was a unilateral one that violates Turkey’s continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean and ignores Turkey’s and TC’s rights. The Turkish Foreign Ministry, as well as the TC ‘foreign ministry’ in an announcement of its own, said that this move once again made clear who is really in favour of inciting tension in the Eastern Mediterranean.


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