Front Page Headlines
Mashias – Constantinou at the kick off for fixed (games)
They were arrested yesterday for the football circus at the Othellos – Agia Napa match. Red card to two goalkeepers and “funny” penalty during game extension.
- EDEK: Explosive climate, resignations and lawsuits: Socialist knives have been drawn – Sizopoulos says no to call by Papadakis for official complain with the Police
- Peristeronopigi sanctuary doors: From Japan, to Cyprus
- Akıncı: Foolish attacks
Did not accept lifting of guarantees
Turkey officially clarifies its position while Crans Montana returns to the forefront. Çavuşoglu threatens Akıncı with revalations.
- Resignations also from the Central Committee: Papadakis – Sizopoulos clash goes to extremes
- Aircraft carrier and frigate in the Cypriot seas
- They ask for purchase of buidlings from the market for refugees (displaced)
Hospital clinics on the respirator
Examinations by pathologists rather than pneumonologists. OKYpY (state health services organisation) and Ministry of Health intervention requested. 30 private hospitals expressed interest.
- They kick refugees (displaced) out in the streets
- Meeting about Varosha in the presence of the Turkish vice president. Akıncı was not invited
- Economic interests trip over haloumi. Critical meeting on Friday
Go to police, EDEK MEP tells leader
Spat turns nasty as MEP accused of seeking EU funds, not contributing to the party.
- Cyprus: Akıncı official says he has received death threats
Fixed games: Handcuffs for football
Police arrested referee Andreas Constantinou, whose car was bombed several days ago, as well as the president of Agia Napa (football club) Dimitris Mashias – At the court today for detainment.
- Campaign of threats and intimidation of Turkish Cypriots by Ankara’s people: Door to door against Akıncı! – Occupied areas: Voters are threatened that they will lose their job if they vote for the T/C leader. Akıncı publicised the full text and recording of his Guardian interview
- In EDEK: The crisis deepens
- Comparisons: The salaries of Anastasiades, Akıncı and others…
Main News
Turkey denies having accepted end of guarantees in Crans Montana
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process, Regional/ International Relations, External Security
OVERVIEW
The Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a written statement on Tuesday regarding media reports in the Greek Cypriot press that it had been ready to accept the removal of guarantees during the 2017 Conference for Cyprus in Crans Montana, Cyprus Mail reports.
“The news in the Greek Cypriot press alleging that Turkey has accepted the removal of the guarantee system in Cyprus are not true” the announcement reads.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry adds that “Turkey emphasises on every occasion that a just and comprehensive settlement on the island will be only possible by ensuring the Turkish Cypriots’ political equality and responding to their security concerns”.
Cyprus Mailpoints out that the announcement is most likely related to an opinion article published in Politis and Cyprus Mail last Sunday.
In that story, journalist and former Anastasiades advisor Makarios Droushiotis had written that “when it became apparent in Crans Montana that Turkey would budge on the issue of guarantees, Anastasiades, instead of putting forward his demands, met secretly with Turkey’s foreign minister Mevlüt Çavuşoglu and proposed a two-state solution so he could rule the south for another five years”.
Phileleftheros reports that the Turkish Foreign Ministry has given an “unhoped for present” to the government. The newspaper also takes care to point out that the Turkish FM’s response did not come due to a story in that particular newspaper.
Phileleftheros particularly quotes once again Çavuşoglu’s Monday statement that he had seen Akıncı display behaviour during the discussion on territory in Crans Montana that were not honourable.
Politis refers in its editorial to Çavuşoglu’s treats of exposing particular statements and behaviours by Akıncı during the Crans Montana conference. The newspaper points out that the whole discussion is happening in order to hit at Akıncı’s reelection prospects, and that an example of a possible statement would be that it was Turkey that was ready to discuss an end to guarantees and that it was Akıncı that argued against that.
Politis cautions that statements made in the context of the T/C election campaign should not be the central element of G/C assessments of the situation ahead of the restart of the negotiations.
KEY ACTORS
Turkish Foreign Ministry
>> The reports in the G/C media that Turkey accepted removal of guarantees are not true
>> A just and comprehensive settlement only possible by ensuring T/C political equality and by responding to their security concerns
Government: New T/C leader should pick up talks from Crans Montana
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Politis, Phileleftheros
Negotiation Process, Governance & Power Sharing
OVERVIEW
Cyprus Mail reports that government spokesperson Kyriakos Koushios commented that no one should interfere in the procedure for the election of the leader of the T/C community, and that the RoC would prefer whoever is elected to pick up the negotiations from where it left off in Crans Montana.
Koushios was askedto comment on the attacks by Turkish officials against the T/C leader after his interview in the Guardian. Koushios said that the government in principle does not interfere in the process for the election for T/C leader.
“Despite that, we would like the elected leader to be in favour of continuing the dialogue from where it left off in Crans Montana, as per the results of the tripartite in Berlin” he added.
Koushios also said, commenting on Turkey’s interference in the affairs of the T/C community, that no one should interfere in the procedure for the election of the new leader.
Alithia reports, citing information, that Turks and T/Cs connected to the Turkish government have started a campaign in cities and villages in the occupied areas essentially warning voters that they will face repercussions if the vote for Akıncı. The newspaper notes that these persons mainly approach people that work for the public sector, people that work for hotels, casinos and stores controlled by Turkish companies and people with children in the military forces or the “police”.
Haravgi reports that according to T/C media a conference is being organised on the future of the Varosha enclosed area, in which Akıncı has not been invited to attend. The conference which will be held in Famagusta is title “Iniative for Varosha – the legal, political and economic dimension”. Government officials from Turkey, including vice president Fuat Oktay, as well as T/C officials such as “prime minister” Ersin Tatar will be attending.
Cyprus Mail also reports that on Tuesday, Akıncı’s spokesperson, Barış Burcu, said in a statement that the result of Turkish FM Çavuşoglu’s accusation, who went as far as branding as “a supporter of terrorism”, have brought death threats against the T/C leader even on television programmes in Turkey.
“Insults and threats have reached a shameful dimension” Burcu said, and added that Akıncı stands behind his previous statements.
He further noted that Akıncı was the first to condemn the coup attempt against the Turkish President on July 15th 2016 “organised by the terrorist organnisation nested within the state in Turkey”. Akıncı “is a person who has struggled for democracy throughout his life” Burcu pointed out.
The dailies also report on statements by G/C political parties on Tuesday. Spokesperson of DISY Demetris Demetriou said that T/C need to realise that they too are at risk from Turkey’s plans and that it’s clear who hinders Turkish Cypriots’ prospects as well as the solution.
DIKO leader Nikolas Papadopoulos said that Turkey’s behaviour is proof that Ankara must not be involved in internal Cypriot affairs after a solution. Turkey wants to control Cyprus “politically, financially and militarily” he added, arguing that if it treats Akıncı that way one can only imagine how it would treat G/Cs that it views as potentially dangerous or as enemies.
KEY ACTORS
Koushios (gov. spokesp.)
>> The government does not interfere in the process for the election for T/C leader
>> We would like the elected leader to be in favour of continuing negotiations from where they left off in Crans Montana, as per the agreement between the leaders in Berlin
>> (Commenting on Turkey’s interference) No one should interfere in the procedure for electing the T/C leader
Burcu (Akıncı spokes.)
>> Çavuşoglu’s statements have caused death threats against Akıncı
>> Despite being accused of being a supporter of terrorism, Akıncı was the first to condemn the coup attempt against the Turkish President in 2016
Demetriou (DISY)
>> T/Cs need to realise that they too are risk from Turkey’s plan
>> It is Turkey that hinders prospects of T/Cs
Papadopoulos (DIKO)
>> Turkey’s behaviour towards Akıncı is proof that Turkey should not be involved in Cypriot affairs after a solution
>> One can only imagine how it would treat G/Cs it sees as threat
Peristeronopigi sanctuary doors due to be returned from Japan
Alithia, Politis
Human Rights, Regional/ International Relations
OVERVIEW
Politis reports that the RoC government is very close to achieving the return to Cyprus of the sanctuary doors of the Monastery of Agios Anastasios in occupied Peristeronopigi.
The relic was found in 1996 in Japan by then ambassafor of the RoC to The Hague, Tasoula Hadjittofi, and are currently located at the Kanazawa College of Art.
Politis reports that Michalis Gavrielides, the head of the Police’s Department for Combatting Illegal Possession and Trade in Antiquities, mentioned the issue of the Peristeronopigi sanctuary doors during a lecture on antiquity smuggling in Cyprus.
Gavrielides told Politis that the Police is in close coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Antiquities Department towards reaching an agreement with the Japanese government on returning the relic to Cyprus.
The newspaper notes that since 1996 there have been multiple attempts by the government as well as the Church of Cyprus. The case is considered particularly difficult since Japanese legislation does not oblige the person in possession of a stolen antiquity to return the item if they consider the item to have been legaly bought.
Government speaks of measures if Spitfire coffeeshop not resolved
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Internal Security, CBMs, External Security
OVERVIEW
Government spokesperson Kyriakos Koushios said on Tuesday that the RoC has decided to take measures if UN efforts to resolve the standoff with the Turkish military over Spitfire cafe do not yield any results, the Cyprus Mail reports.
Haravgi cites information that one of the measures considered by the government is the manning of guardposts of the National Guard in the Paphos Gate area that had been vacant since a deal between the two sides in the 1990s.
Koushios said that despite efforts and reactions on many levels to the UN there have not been any developments and added that the government would not accept more faits accompli.
The spokesperson also said that the government expects developments soon. However, the newspaper notes, he did not elaborate on the measures the government is considering despite being repeatedly pressured to say if one of these measures would be to post soldiers in the area.
“Let us wait for the UN actions to see if they work and the government is ready to take certain measures if we do not get the positive results we expect” he said.
Phileleftheros reports that UNFICYP has manned its observatory close to the area in order to have a better overview of the situation, but crticises the peace keeping force for its inability to react.
The derelict building that used to house the iconic Spitfire coffeeshop is located at Paphos Gate. Part of it lies in the buffer zone and part of it lies in the occupied areas. Last Friday, Nicosia Municipality had to stop works for shoring up the structure after continued harrassment by the Turkish military.
KEY ACTORS
Koushios (gov. spokesp.)
>> The RoC has decided on specific measures if UN efforts to resolve issue at Paphos gate are not effective
>> The government will not accept more faits accompli
>> The government is waiting whether UN’s efforts will work before taking measures
Concerns over displaced losing their homes due to disrepair
Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The dailies report on a discussion during the Parliament’s committee on refugees regarding the possibility of hundreds of displaced being forced to look for new residences due to the disrepair of 43 out of a total of 358 buildings that had been erected by the government as estates after 1974.
Phileleftheros reports that the members of the committee pointed out that soon the government would have to erect new buildings or even to buy new ones. The newspaper notes that the problem of repairs in the existing buildings could have been gradually solved if erection of new buildings hadn’t been halted due to the finacial crisis.
Haravgi reports on a particular case at the government estates of Agios Ioannis in Larnaca, where the inhabitants received a letter calling them to look for appartments to rent elsewhere. The inhabitants were promised government support for covering their rent.
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