Front Page Headlines
Limnes in disuse, they’re being stacked in Pournara
The Interior Ministry is refusing the temporary transfer of asylum seekers to another space.
- Stewart: The process in the Cyprus problem should move forward
- TC economy: No light in the tunnel
- State budget voting: Super privileges and limousines targeted
First step, the ice broke
Stewart and UN will try to give a continuation to efforts in the Cyprus problem.
- Diplomatic naval battles in the Eastern Mediterranean: Christodoulides-Shoukry binding the cooperation between Cyprus-Egypt
- Scientists clarifying they were not asked about the measures: In the Cabinet they’re also rejecting Hadjipantela’s proposals
The discussion on budgets is beginning in the shadow of unemployment, expensiveness, corruption
The discussion is launching in Parliament this afternoon with the speeches of party leaders.
- Stewart alludes to the work of Technical Committees
- AKEL will never accept Turkey’s partitionist claims. The President, however?
Send kids to class anti-maskers told
Parents urged to rethink, reminded police are called over long absences
- New UN official says looking for ‘mutually accepted way forward’
Turkish Cypriots rushing in groups to the free areas for work
Due to the economic crisis in the occupied areas.
- Meeting without statements: Anastasiades-Tatr – The two leaders talked after a while
- Melvut Cavusoglu: I never gave retreated on guarantees and security
- Parliament: The discussion on the state budget begins today
Main News
Both leaders attend UN social reception
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar attended an informal social reception hosted by the UN at the Ledra Palace on Tuesday evening, the dailies report.
Speaking at the reception, newly appointed UNSG Special Representative Colin Stewart said he was pleased to be here to continue the good work of his predecessor Elizabeth Spehar, and to support what he said he knows is a very important cause for the UNSG, and that is to support both leaders in finding “a mutually accepted way forward.”
Stewart noted that the venue chosen for the reception, located in the Buffer Zone, is a very historic place. As a newcomer, he added, it strikes him as very symbolic of the cost of the conflict when we look at what this place must have looked like.
Stewart also praised the work of various technical committees, on which he was briefed in the past week, particularly when it comes to pandemic management, education, cultural heritage and communications.
“We count on you to continue to push your people to solve these little problems that really affect the everyday lives of Cypriots,” he said addressing the two leaders.
He also reiterated that this was not a formal occasion but rather an informal opportunity to wish everyone a very happy new year and take stock of some of the achievements that we have had, adding that he looks forward to more progress in the coming year.
State broadcaster CyBC reported that Anastasiades and Tatar were seen chatting amicably and were joined in conversation by their chief negotiators Andreas Mavroyiannis and Ergun Olgun. Politis reports that the event lasted around two hours.
Earlier in the day, Stewart had an introductory meeting with representatives of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (UNSC), who were also present at the reception, the dailies report. Phileleftheros reports that Stewart had separate meetings with the US and British Ambassadors, Judith Garber and Stephen Lillie.
Also, earlier in the day, Phileleftheros reports that Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides told CyBC that the UN is considering ways to create new mobilisation over the coming period. He added that in the new year, the Cyprus problem will also be discussed among the UNSC, in the framework of discussions for the renewal of the UNFICYP mandate.
KEY ACTORS
Stewart
>> Will try to support both leaders in finding a mutually accepted way forward
FM: Options paper referral back to Coreper not negative development
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
EU Matters
OVERVIEW
The referral by the EU Foreign Ministers of the options paper back to Coreper was not a negative development, Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said on Tuesday, but did acknowledge that getting unanimity for measures against Turkey is not an easy feat.
Speaking to state broadcaster CyBC, Christodoulides said the referral of the options paper to Coreper was done for the clarification of some legal measures included, Politis reports. He added that there is no doubt that the matter of measures against Turkey for illegal actions in Varosha remains on the table and some form of sanctions will continue to be discussed.
Christodoulides however said that no timeframe was given on when this discussion would be completed, with Nicosia’s goal being to keep the issue of Varosha a current one in the EU and UN.
He said no decisions were taken on Monday on possible measures against Turkey because his German counterpart had asked for more time to discuss the possible measures but also the impact of such a decision. Italy backed the motion while the Netherlands had taken a more negative approach, he said. Since unanimity is required for the bloc to impose sanctions, Christodoulides admitted that it would not be an easy road though most member states welcomed the options paper.
He also said that Cyprus, along with the commitment to adopt measures as a response to provocations in Varosha, promoted the proposal for confidence-building measures (CBMs) with the goal of resuming the talks. Christodoulides said President Nicos Anastasiades’ proposed CBMs on Varosha were still on the table.
Politis reports that Christodoulides was attempting to smooth over the disappointment being seen at the EU level in view of Nicosia’s efforts to get its EU partners to discuss measures against Turkey.
However, AKEL took a less optimistic position on the Foreign Affairs Council’s (FAC) decision to stall the process and refer the options back to Coreper, and called on the government to finally come to grips with the fact that “the time of illusions has come to an end”.
Though seeking sanctions against Turkish actions was a just demand, the EU does not operate based on what’s just or principles, but on geopolitical interests, AKEL said, adding it has been warning the government of this for years.
The party called on the government to focus on what has more serious possibility of curbing Turkish aggression, which is resuming the talks from where they left off in 2017 for a solution based on the agreed framework.
In response, government spokesman Marios Pelekanos called on AKEL to honestly say whether they would have agreed to the resumption of the talks based on the demand by Turkey and the TC leadership for recognition of the north’s sovereignty.
Relations between Cyprus, Egypt at ‘all time high’
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
Cyprus and Egypt together with all like-minded countries in the region will continue to work to turn their geography into a blessing, Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said on Tuesday after a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry in Nicosia.
The two Ministers held bilateral talks on a series of issues and signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation between their countries’ respective diplomatic academies, the first of more to come, Christodoulides said.
Bilateral relations between Cyprus and Egypt, he added, are now at the highest level of all time. Christodoulides said the deliberations held on Tuesday involved an in-depth discussion on bilateral, trilateral and regional partnerships, which are going from strength to strength, for the benefit of our peoples and also of our whole region.
He added that they reviewed the entire spectrum of the two countries’ cooperation and exchanged views on the next steps that lie ahead in their efforts to build a secure, peaceful and more prosperous future for the generations to come.
The two Ministers also followed up on several issues that their respective authorities have been working on, implementing the road map for a government-to-government meeting expected to take place in the autumn of next year, Christodoulides said.
Shoukry referred to the historical ties between the Cypriot and Egyptian peoples, which, he said, were consistent and firmly rooted in the principles of mutual interest, cooperation and mutual respect.
He added that the relationship between Egypt and Cyprus is highly-valued, and is considered as an example of what can be achieved through productive and faithful relationships.
Shoukry said he conveyed to President Nicos Anastasiades, whom he met earlier in the day, the importance Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi attaches to Egypt-Cyprus relations. He also extended to Anastasiades an invitation to participate in the forthcoming World Youth Forum in Sharm El Sheikh.
He also said that the two governments do not miss an opportunity to interact and see how to strengthen bilateral relations and coordinate to create stability and security for the Eastern Mediterranean in cooperation with their partners in the region and the European Union.
On the Cyprus problem, he said that it is important to continue efforts to resolve the issue based on UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and negotiations. He also welcomed the flexibility shown by the Cypriot government in this regard.