While at first sight Cyprus’ economic crisis, regional geopolitical recalibrations and natural gas exploration appear to have eclipsed the long-standing efforts to reconcile the divided island, upon closer inspection they reveal the paradoxical predicament that engulfs the Cyprus conflict. The quick collapse of financial certainty exposed an ephemeral tempestuous prosperity that in effect concealed the…
[email protected]: Cyprus problem will not be solved with visas
The Cyprus problem will not be solved with visas, nor is the issue of recognition, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides said on Wednesday, as the European Commission proposed the lifting of visa requirements for Turkish citizens provided Ankara fulfilled outstanding benchmarks, including the abolition of visa restrictions for all EU citizens. The Turkish cabinet late on…
Brussels gears up for Cyprus solution
The European Commission has reportedly moved to try and bolster efforts to reach a Cyprus settlement by the end of the year by renaming its ‘Task Force for the Turkish Cypriot Community’ to ‘Task Force for a Cyprus Solution’. Brussels is confident that a solution can be reached within 2016 – something that has been…
Akinci interview to DW: “2016 a solutions year”
Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci spoke of the quest for compromise in Cyprus peace negotiations in 2016, in an interview with German broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW). Akinci, who visits Germany on Monday, noted: “we have been saying from the outset that 2016 will be a significant year. “Recently, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, not only I but also…
Speechless European Dream
We’re ridiculously stuck in between the refugee crisis and Turkey’s accession chapters to enter the European Union. Suddenly European Council President Donald Tusk flies in to flex his diplomatic muscles with our President Anastasiades, who is stuck between his role as a leader of an EU country (he needs all the help he can get…
Turkish Cypriots feel sidelined
By Esra Aygin The ongoing dialogue between Turkey, the Republic of Cyprus and the European Union regarding the migration deal has led to concerns in the northern part of Cyprus that Turkish Cypriots are being sidelined. A conversation between Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Pre-sident Nicos Anastasiades during last-week’s EU-Turkey migration summit in Brussels…
No consent to opening frozen chapters for Turkey accession
Cyprus stood firm on Tuesday, insisting it would not consent to the opening of frozen chapters in Turkey’s EU accession process, President Nicos Anastasiades told European Council President Donald Tusk at a meeting in Nicosia. “It must be understood by our EU partners that possible acceptance of the Turkish demands, without implementation of Turkey’s…
Anastasiades: not our problem if EU-Turkey deal in jeopardy over Cyprus
If Cyprus’ veto on opening EU-Turkey chapters jeopardises a deal between Ankara and Brussels to stem the migrant flow, which is due to be finalised next Thursday, it would not be Nicosia’s problem, President Nicos Anastasiades said on Friday. Speaking after his regular meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, Anastasiades was asked to comment…
Piri: The EU should do whatever is possible to support the solution in Cyprus
Under the title “Europe will support the solution”, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (09.03.16) reports that the European Parliament’s Reporter on Turkey, Kati Piri has said that the EP and the European Commission should do whatever is possible for supporting the solution to be found in Cyprus. In joint statements to Havadis and the Cyprus…
View: The opening of Turkey-EU chapters is already a given
A DEAL between Turkey and the EU over the refugee crisis appears to be all but agreed. EU leaders welcomed Turkey’s offer to take back all refugees who entered Europe from Turkey and agreed, in principle to all of Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s demands. Ankara will be given more money (double the €3 billion originally…