FES CYPRUS NEWSLETTER Nr. 40 / OCTOBER 2015 Contents 1. Cyprus Problem ......................................................................................... 2 2. Hydrocarbons ............................................................................................ 6 3. Greek Cypriots .......................................................................................... 6 Economic Developments ........................................................................... 6 Domestic Developments ........................................................................... 7 Labour Relations and Trade Unions .......................................................... 8 Foreign Policy ............................................................................................ 9 4. Turkish Cypriots ........................................................................................ 9 Economic Developments ........................................................................... 9 Domestic Developments ........................................................................... 9 Labour Relations and Trade Unions ........................................................ 10 Foreign Policy .......................................................................................... 11 5. FES Cyprus Events ................................................................................... 11 FES NEWS - please visit us on - www.FEScyprus.org - www.facebook.com/FEScyprus 1 FES CYPRUS NEWSLETTER Nr. 40 / October 2015 1. Cyprus Problem who stated that particular focus will be paid on building economic support of a settlement. In September negotiations for a settlement of Anastasiades and Akinci are expected to meet the Cyprus problem resumed, following the again on October 12 and 30. summer break during August. Meanwhile, the negotiators began discussions The first leaders meeting took place on Sep- regarding the criteria for exchange, compensa- tember 1. According to Special Adviser of the tion and return of property after a settlement. UN-Secretary on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, According to the Cyprus News Agency, the cat- President Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot egories could number as many as 24 and in- leader Mustafa Akinci focused their discussion clude Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot prop- on property and governance related issues and erty owners, current users be they Turkish Cyp- reaffirmed their commitment to maintain and riots or Turkish settlers, or third-country build upon their efforts. Eide also stated that nationals such as EU buyers of Greek Cypriot the two negotiators, Andreas Mavroyiannis and properties or lands. The categories would also Ozdil Nami, would continue to meet on a regu- include Cyprus government and Church prop- lar basis. erty, and those managed by the Turkish Cypriot Anastasiades and Akinci met again on Septem- religious foundation Evkaf as well as land on ber 14. They discussed the state of play across which schools, hospitals and roads have been the various chapters since the resumption of built since the 1974 Turkish invasion. negotiations in May and carried out a compre- On September 11, as part of a two-day visit, hensive review of the progress carried out thus European Council President Donald Tusk met far. The two leaders agreed to intensify their separately with Anastasiades and Akinci. The EC work and increase the frequency of their President welcomed the progress achieved in meetings in the coming months. They both the Cyprus talks and said he believed the com- expressed their commitment to working tire- ing months would be very important for the lessly to reach a comprehensive settlement as process. He furthermore reiterated the EU’s soon as possible. According to Eide, the two support towards the UN efforts for a solution, leaders referred to the following months as adding that Cyprus should not lose this chance ‘critical’ for the process. Akinci in particular for a settlement. The two leaders also met with expressed his will to reach a solution before US Assistant Secretary for European and Eura- May 2016, when Parliamentary elections in the sian Affairs Victoria Nuland who conveyed the south take place. Meanwhile, the Greek Cypriot support of the US for a fair and lasting settle- side stressed that the financial aspects of reuni- ment of the Cyprus problem. fication must be resolved before a final settle- ment. This view appeared to be shared by Eide 2 FES CYPRUS NEWSLETTER Nr. 40 / October 2015 Efforts by political parties on both sides of the In the meantime, the Committee on Missing divide to support the ongoing negotiation pro- Persons in Cyprus (CMP) has continued its cess have intensified in September. On Septem- efforts to locate, exhume and identify the ber 1, a delegation from AKEL headed by the remains of missing persons on the island. The party’s Secretary General Andros Kyprianou CMP has completed the first phase of excava- paid a visit to the Republican Turkish Party – tion at a site behind the central prison in the United Forces (CTP-BG). Following the meeting northern part of Nicosia and found the remains during which both parties reaffirmed their of twenty Greek Cypriot victims. The committee commitment towards reaching a solution, the expects to discover the remains of twenty to leader of the CTP-BG Mehmet Ali Talat and thirty more bodies in the second phase of exca- Andros Kyprianou spoke to the press. Kyprianou vations on the same site. said that there were many issues that needed The chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of to be solved in Cyprus and added that AKEL and Commerce Fikri Toros and the Greek Cypriot the CTP-BG were determined to act together Chamber of Commerce and Industry Phidias towards reaching peace on the island. Stating Pilides spoke on a TV show on economy and that important progress had been achieved in business on Turkish Cypriot public broadcaster, the negotiation process, Talat announced that BRT. Both said that the cooperation between the CTP-BG and the AKEL have decided to the two chambers played an important role establish a joint committee with the aim of towards building peace on the island. Speaking contributing to the process. “We want to help during the program, Pilides expressed the view the leaders and their teams, enable the two that a settlement in Cyprus will benefit all sec- communities to understand the issues better tors of the economy and that investments that and by correcting possible mistakes or misun- so far have not been made due to political derstandings, enable the continuation of the problems will start, making the island “one of public’s determination for peace,” Talat added. the most important investment centres in the On September 14, a delegation from the Social region”. Pilides also said that a settlement Democratic Party (TDP) led by party leader would reflect positively on the country’s GNP Cemal Ozyigit paid a visit to the AKEL headquar- and capita per income, achieving a 70% growth ters where they met with Andros Kyprianou and rate in just 20 years. The Chairman of the other party officials. The representatives of the Cyprus Turkish Chamber of Commerce Fikri two parties discussed details regarding joint Toros for his part said that one could not count events planned for the near future and decided the endless benefits a settlement in Cyprus to speed up the work being carried out by a would bring to both sides. “We believe that we joint committee set up by the two parties can achieve economies of scale together with earlier. the Greek Cypriot economy. You cannot expect 3 FES CYPRUS NEWSLETTER Nr. 40 / October 2015 us to compete in an environment of political Turkish Cypriot people will be paramount in any instability for anyone to come and make Cyprus settlement and that guarantor countries investments. With reunification, the island will would need to be involved in addressing the become a centre of economic prosperity. A issue during the negotiations. Meanwhile, in an settlement will attract commercial investors,” interview with Turkish Cypriot Havadis newspa- Toros added. It is worth adding that Pilides per, Russian ambassador Stanislav Osadchiy became the first official from a Greek Cypriot stated that Russia would accept a solution institution to attend a program on BRT. approved by the people as long as there were no NATO guarantees. On September 13, the play ‘Hippolytus of Euripides’ was performed by the Cyprus Theatre The Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot opera- Organisation at ancient Salamis in the north. tors of shipyards in Limassol and Famagusta The play was performed in Greek with English decided to team up for a client and revenue and Turkish subtitles. It was organised in sharing joint venture making them one of the collaboration with the Famagusta Walled City biggest players in the Eastern Mediterranean. Association (MASDER) and was under the auspi- Under the terms of agreement signed on ces of the Bi-communal Technical Committee August 26, the Limassol-based FAMA Group, the on Culture. It was attended by about 3.500 peo- pre-1974 operators of the Famagusta shipyard ple, around 2.800 Greek Cypriots and 700 Turk- who now run the shipyard at Limassol port, will ish Cypriots. now be cooperating with Shipyard Famagusta under a common marketing and pricing policy. According to the results of a survey conducted The two shipyards will work under the umbrella on behalf of Team Cyprus (Omada Kypros), the of Hong Kong based Ocean Well Ltd. The majority of Greek Cypriots believe that the