Greek Press

PHILELEFTHEROS: “Give-and-take” Leading with the new round of talks this week, the paper cited sources saying that the negotiations would focus on substantive issues. President Papadopoulos will reportedly be raising the issue that some of Denktash’s demands are outside the framework of the Annan plan. And Athens and Nicosia have said that an agreement must be ratified before the referenda.

POLITIS: “Agreement with qualifications” The daily focused on the Turkish side’s proposal that talks be extended up until December this year, coinciding with the timeframe of Turkey’s EU candidate status. The Turkish proposal is that only a framework for an agreement be reached by May 1, with pending issues resolved by December. However, the Greek side is concerned that situation could pose problem with how Cyprus is integrated into the EU.

ALITHIA: “Going in deep” Another take on the talks, focusing on each side’s moves during the three-day break. Foreign Minister George Iacovou met with the EU’s foreign policy boss Javier Solana and French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin to discuss the security aspects of the Annan plan. Meanwhile Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has hinted that there is not enough time and negotiations should be extended, possibly until December.

HARAVGHI: “EAC-Hellas Sat deal falling through” Citing its sources, the communist party mouthpiece said the Electricity Authority was reconsidering its agreement with Hellas Sat Consortium on use of the satellite relay stations. The EAC’s management reportedly feels that the multi-million deal is not as profitable as expected. The EAC initially had considered acquiring a 26 per cent stake in the joint venture.

SIMERINI: “Cyprus out of EMU” The paper warned that Cyprus’ aspirations to join the Economic and Monetary Union now seemed a remote possibility if the Cyprus problem were solved on the basis of the Annan plan. President Papadopoulos has reportedly been shown an economic study indicating the consequences of the cost of a solution would be prohibitive for the island’s chances of entering EMU.

MACHI: “Going gets tough” The new round of negotiations began in a “climate of uncertainty” as the two sides would reportedly initiate discussion on substantive issues. The paper said the Turkish side demanded an acknowledgement of the “realities” following the 1974 invasion.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.