EU-DIGEST

Turkey, Cyprus tensions rise over oil spat

Tensions increased on Tuesday as Cyprus accused Turkey of adopting 19th century gunboat diplomacy in a spat over oil exploration off the divided Mediterranean island. Ankara hit back by accusing a Greek Cypriot oil search mission of violating its territorial rights and vowed to make its own protests to international bodies over the dispute. Turkey was adopting "politics of the 19th century," Cypriot Foreign Minister Marcos Kyprianou charged. "No modern state, especially one that wants to join the EU, sends out warships to impede the (legal) exercise of rights."

President Demetris Christofias, the Greek Cypriot leader, also condemned the latest incident off Cyprus's south coast during which Nicosia says a Turkish warship turned back a Norwegian-flagged exploration vessel on November 13. "We are determined to defend the sovereign rights of the Cyprus Republic," said the president. "We have lodged protests with the United Nations and European Union over these provocations by Ankara." He was speaking to reporters before a new round of UN-brokered talks with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat aimed at reuniting Cyprus after decades of division.

Labels: Cyprus, EU, Turkey

Nikki Beach Hotels Partners with Dolphin Capital Investors Five-star Resort & Beach Paphos Cyprus

Nikki Beach EMEA Hotels and Resorts Limited (“Nikki Beach”), announces the signing of a management agreement with Dolphin Capital Investors, the leading residential resort developer in South East Mediterranean. Through this partnership Nikki Beach, one of the world’s most recognizable lifestyle and entertainment brands, will operate a five-star luxury resort within ‘Venus Rock Golf Resort’ in Paphos, Cyprus. Expected to open in mid 2012, the Nikki Beach Resort and Spa will provide 80 sea view rooms and suites, a Nikki Beach Club and pool bar, spa and fitness facilities, an Ultra VIP Lounge/Club, and signature restaurants. Enhanced by its stunning natural setting, thematic architecture and the turquoise waters that surround it, the new Nikki Beach Resort and Spa at Venus Rock will combine five-star service, glamorous accommodation, distinctive design and a unique ambiance to provide a haven for the most discerning of travelers.

The Nikki Beach resort will also house a residential community consisting of 50 lifestyle villas offering unique benefits, such as priority access and VIP treatment to all the hotel’s facilities and outlets, 24 hour “Nikki Sensations” concierge service, carefree maintenance 24-7 and many other global privileges.

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Labels: Cyprus, EU, Real Estate, Tourism

Turkish Cypriots slam France over military drills

A Turkish Cypriot official slammed France on Wednesday over its decision to take part in military exercises with Greek Cypriots on divided Cyprus, Turkey's Anatolia news agency reported. Turgay Avci, foreign minister of the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, denounced France's participation in the June 2-6 drills as a partial stance in favour of the Greek Cypriots at a time when efforts are under way to revive talks to reunify the island. "France's participation in the exercises cannot be seen as a sign of goodwill at a time when France is preparing to take over the EU presidency and when a negotiation process is under way in Cyprus," he told Anatolia in an interview, calling on Paris to "carefully review" its decision.

Labels: Cyprus, EU, France, Turkey

Northern Cyprus - Nicosia presently divided

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Cyprus Vote: Big Ramifications for Turkey's EU Bid and NATO's Operational Capacity

The future of Turkey’s European Union bid could hinge on the February 17 presidential election in Cyprus. The prospect of a new Greek Cypriot leadership may offer the last chance for uniting the divided island, analysts say. Permanent division, experts add, would create a lasting source of political tension that not only could prevent Turkey’s EU accession, but also hamper the EU’s and NATO’s strategic capabilities. "The results of the election will be important, if we are going to have a move forward," says Philippos Savvides, Greek Cypriot political analyst based in Athens. Brussels is set to review progress on Turkey’s membership bid in 2009, leaving this year as the only window of opportunity to make headway on the Cyprus issue, Savvides says. "It will be a mess if we don’t have a resolution."

Cyprus has been split since 1974, when Turkey invaded the island’s northern part to safeguard its Turkish Cypriot community, which comprised some 20 percent of the total population. With United Nations peacekeepers monitoring a ceasefire line separating the island’s Greek and Turkish parts, the Cyprus issue has made little progress toward reunification over the decades. There was some hope for a resolution in 2004, when Turkey signed on to the United Nations-brokered Annan plan, which called for Ankara to withdraw its troops, and Cyprus to be reunited. The new Cyprus would have been comprised of two confederal states, one Greek and one Turkish, with a loose central government.

Note EU-Digest: The UN plan for reunification could be back on the table after hardliner Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos was eliminated in the first round of a presidential election on Sunday, meaning a surprise run-off between two candidates who both want talks on re-uniting the island. The vote is key to efforts to bring back together the war-divided Mediterranean island and to Turkey's European Union aspirations. Analysts said Papadopoulos's elimination signaled Greek Cypriots are ready to return to the negotiation table. Right wing backed Ioannis Kassoulides and Communist Demetris Christofias have already pledged a more conciliatory approach to estranged Turkish Cypriots, who have lived separately since a Turkish invasion in 1974 triggered by a brief Greek-inspired coup. With all the vote counted, Kassoulides had 33.5 percent, Christofias 33.3 percent and Papadopoulos only 31.8 percent. The run-off will be on February 24.

Labels: Cyprus, Elections, EU, Turkey

Lining up for euros in Cyprus and Malta - by Nelaos Hadjicostis

The adoption of the euro Tuesday by Cyprus and Malta went smoothly, as citizens lined up at banks to exchange pounds and lira for the new currency without many problems. The small Mediterranean islands, both former British colonies, scrapped the Cyprus pound and Maltese lira at midnight, bringing to 15 the number of countries using the currency that has increasing clout over the slumping U.S. dollar. Cypriot banks opened central branches in Nicosia and other major cities for a few hours Tuesday to exchange the old currency for euros.

Labels: Cyprus, euro, Malta

Cyprus on final countdown to euro zone

With just hours to go before the legal tender changeover from Cyprus pound to the euro on Jan. 1, authorities and citizens on the eastern Mediterranean island seem well prepared to embrace the single currency. In the past weeks, security vans escorted by police have traveled frequently between the Central Bank of Cyprus in the capital Nicosia to local commercial banks, delivering brand new euro bank notes and coins. Cypriots, especially shop owners have obtained euro coin starter kits from bank branches, since all changes should be made in euro instead of Cyprus pound since the New Year's day, though the latter can be circulated along with the euro till the end of January.

Labels: Cyprus, EU, euro

Labels: Cyprus, EU

Cyprus - CIA Document Dump Confirms Kissinger's links with Turkey on Cyprus invasion - by Wayne Madsen

When Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974, Kissinger was only concerned about the continued operation of U.S. intelligence bases in Turkey and three in the Turkish zone of Cyprus: Yerolakkos, Mia Milea, and Karavas. Eventually, these listening stations were evacuated in 1975 by CIA agents and U.S. Marines.

We can also now add Cypriot President Archbishop Makarios to the long list of foreign leaders targeted for assassination by the CIA and Kissinger. From the book "The Cyprus Conspiracy" by Brendan O'Malley and Ian Craig, we know that on July 15, 1974, Makarios' presidential palace in Nicosia was hit with artilley fire from tanks while Makarios was greeting a group of young schoolchildren from Cairo. Makarios' presidential guard fought the coup plotters off for several hours until the rebellious troops stormed the building and set fire to it. The CIA saw to it that Cyprus Radio broadcast the news that Makarios was dead. On March 8, 1970, Makarios' helicopter was was hit with bullets in an assassination attempt also linked to the CIA and the Greek Colonels junta in Athens. Kissinger, at the time, served as Nixon's National Security Adviser.

Labels: Cyprus, EU, Turkey