Month: December 2022

Cyprus Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides on Thursday met with his counterparts from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Mukhtar Tleuberdi and Vladimir Norov, in the framework of OSCE ministerial Summit in Lodz, Poland.

On the agenda was the Cyprus issue, the observer status granted to the illegal regime in Turkish occupied areas by the Organization of Turkic states and bilateral ties between Cyprus and Kazakhstan and Cyprus and Uzbekistan.

A press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that the two countries are members of the Organization of Turkic States and participated in the organization’s recent meeting in Samarkand.

Kasoulides discussed with them the decision of the Organization of Turkic States to revise its statute to accept the occupying regime in Cyprus as an observer.

The two Ministers, the press release reads, pointed out that their states’ stance is governed by adherence to international law and respect of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of all states and the Republic of Cyprus, in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions.

The two states condemn any act of secession and unilateral declaration of independence as they are also concerned about possible ramifications that such an act would have in the Central Asian region, according to the press release.

As regards the bilateral relations, Kasoulides and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan agreed to intensify efforts to conclude bilateral agreements on a number of issues and to proceed with political consultations.

Also, the two Ministers agreed on the future opening of Consulates General under the condition of a direct air connection between Cyprus and Kazakhstan.

With Norov Cyprus FM discussed the development of a dialogue on political consultations and defined initiatives that will lead to the strengthening of bilateral relations.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus will get Friday the first tranche of €85 million from the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Mechanism, as European Commission technocrats told Cyprus’ Parliamentary Committee on Finance. The technocrats will participate tomorrow in the first annual event for the Recovery and Resilience Facility in Cyprus.

The delegation of the European Commission’s Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), met on Thursday with the Parliamentary Finance Committee and stressed the need for timely implementation of the legislation related to the Facility.

The problem of Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) and high energy prices dominated the discussion, with Commission’s technocrats pointing out the need for further progress in relation to NPLs and meeting the Facility’s milestones, while MPs noted the special conditions of Cyprus after the 2013 financial crisis and the need for more to be done to protect vulnerable groups.

The Director of Recovery & Resilience Task Force at the European Commission, Maria Teresa Fabregas said that it’s very important that the member states comply with the legal elements of the Plan and emphasised the great role of the Parliaments in the adoption of the relevant agreements. She noted the important reforms passed by the Cypriot Parliament in the fields of justice, energy, dealing with NPLs, while mentioning that there are other laws that must be adopted, regarding inter alia labour market, education and tax planning.

Director for economies of the member states in DG ECFIN Luc Tholoniat said that it was confirmed that Cyprus would be subject to an in-depth review of macroeconomic balances. He also mentioned Commission’s recommendation, that repeated suspensions of foreclosures in Cyprus create problems in terms of achieving the goal of further reduction of NPLs.

Regarding the ‘Mortgage to Rent’ scheme that the Government proposed to protect vulnerable borrowers who cannot restructure their loans secured against their primary residence, he said that they were reviewing it in collaboration with the Directorate General for Competition of the European Commission.

He also noted that tomorrow will be the day of the first disbursement for Cyprus from the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism of the amount of 85 million euros and said that this is the beginning of a long journey. At the same time, he said that the Commission is examining Cyprus’ second payment request.

The European technocrat said also that there should be some revision of Cyprus’ Plan, since due to the very good economic performance of the country, which was not expected, Cyprus will lose approximately €90 million compared to the original plan. He added, however, that Cyprus will benefit with an additional €50 million for actions in the energy sector from the REPower EU plan, while it could benefit from the use of loans within the program.

Regarding support in the energy sector, he said that the EU is trying to provide support and for that the rules of the Stability and Growth Pact have been suspended to give countries time to take the necessary measures. He noted however that measures to be taken should be targeted, temporary, encourage energy saving and take into account fiscal cost.

For her part, the President of the Committee on Finance, Christiana Erotokritou noted that although Cyprus is on the right track in terms of dealing with NPLs, the special conditions of the Cypriot economy and the consequences of the 2013 haircut must be taken into account. She noted the need for plans and mechanisms to protect vulnerable owners and avoid further problems in the future, as well as the need for measures to address the problem of high energy prices.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

US Defence Minister Lloyd Austin expressed concern as regards the escalation of action in northern Syria as well as Turkey’s recent airstrikes during a telephone conversation with Turkish Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar.

According to the statement issued by the US Department of National Defence, Austin expressed concern over escalating action in northern Syria and Turkey, including recent airstrikes, some of which directly threatened the safety of U.S. personnel who are working with local partners in Syria to defeat ISIS. Secretary Austin called for de-escalation, and shared the Department’s strong opposition to a new Turkish military operation in Syria.

Ostin also offered condolences for the loss of lifes in the Istanbul attack on November 13, and subsequent attacks in southern Turkey.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The UK Minister for Europe has highlighted the importance of all sides in Cyprus cooperating fully with the Committee of Missing Persons (CMP), as well as restated London’s support for a settlement to the Cyprus issue within the UN parameters.

Leo Docherty was responding to a letter regarding the CMP by the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK to former Prime Minister Liz Truss; and he has also addressed the content of a second Federation letter, addressed to the current PM Rishi Sunak on the recent dark anniversary of the illegal Unilateral Declaration of Independence by the pseudo-state in the occupied northern part of Cyprus.

In his letter to Federation President Christos Karaolis, the Minister states that the UK “maintains close contact” with the Committee on Missing Persons as the entity mandated to search for, recover, identify and return to their families, the remains of Cypriots from both communities.

He points to the UK ensuring language was included in the renewal of the mandate for the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, calling on all parties to enhance their cooperation with the CMP, “explicitly through providing full access, without delay, to all areas and responding in a timely manner to requests for archival information on possible burial sites”.

Docherty argues that the best way to address the situation remains through a just and lasting settlement on the island “in line with UN resolutions”, and adds that the UK remains committed to supporting UN efforts to reach a Cyprus settlement and actively engages with all parties on this.

He also refers to the visit to London by the Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides on 15th November, during which he reaffirmed the willingness for close and strengthened cooperation towards a just and lasting settlement in meetings with both Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and the Minister of State responsible for the UN Lord Ahmad.

The Minister for Europe concludes that the UK has been consistently calling for all sides to avoid any actions or statements that could damage the prospects for a settlement, and that it will continue to contribute to a settlement, “including through advocating a solution in line with UN parameters based on the model of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation – a model that is internationally accepted and one that we believe to be broad enough to address the concerns of both sides.”

Source: Cyprus News Agency

NuScale and industry participants will assess new concepts for use in small modular reactor power plants

PORTLAND, Ore.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– NuScale Power, LLC (NuScale) along with Shell Global Solutions (Shell) and industry participants will develop and assess a concept for an economically optimized Integrated Energy System (IES) for hydrogen production using electricity and process heat from a NuScale VOYGR™ small modular reactor (SMR) power plant. The project entitled, “Development and Demonstration of a Concept for an Economically Optimized IES,” will be completed in two phases. Additional research participants include Idaho National Laboratory, Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS), Fuel Cell Energy, FPoliSolutions, and GSE Solutions.

NuScale’s flexible SMR technology holds the potential to balance and stabilize power grids dominated by renewable energies through hydrogen production. Energy markets present reliability concerns at times when energy demand is high and renewable energy production is low. In these markets, hydrogen would be used as an end-product or as a stored energy source to be processed through a Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (RSOFC) for electricity generation.

“Hydrogen has been identified as a pathway for global decarbonization and NuScale’s SMR technology complements this goal through low carbon hydrogen production,” said John Hopkins, NuScale Power President and Chief Executive Officer.

A NuScale control room simulator will be modified to evaluate the dynamics of the IES and will include models for the Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell (SOEC) system for hydrogen production, in addition to a RSOFC for electricity production. The research will consider the number of NuScale Power Modules™ needed for use in SOEC hydrogen production and the quantity of hydrogen stored for subsequent electricity production. Further, local economic factors from the UAMPS Carbon Free Power Project will be assessed, such as the impact in the Western Energy Imbalance Market, resource adequacy programs, and other local market factors to be defined.

“We are pleased to join this collaboration, which is in line with our efforts to explore technologies that have the potential to enable decarbonization and support the energy transition,” said Dirk Smit, Vice President of Research Strategy at Shell.

About NuScale Power

NuScale Power (NYSE: SMR) is poised to meet the diverse energy needs of customers across the world. It has developed small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear technology to supply energy for electrical generation, district heating, desalination, commercial-scale hydrogen production, and other process heat applications. The groundbreaking NuScale Power Module™ (NPM), a small, safe pressurized water reactor, can generate 77 megawatts of electricity (MWe) and can be scaled to meet customer needs. NuScale’s 12-module VOYGR™-12 power plant is capable of generating 924 MWe, and NuScale also offers four-module VOYGR-4 (308 MWe) and six-module VOYGR-6 (462 MWe) power plants, as well as other configurations based on customer needs.

Founded in 2007, NuScale is headquartered in Portland, Ore., and has offices in Corvallis, Ore.; Rockville, Md.; Richland, Wash.; and London, UK. To learn more, visit NuScale Power’s website or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Forward Looking Statements

This release may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “target” or other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical facts. These forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Actual results may differ materially as a result of a number of factors. Caution must be exercised in relying on these and other forward-looking statements. Due to known and unknown risks, NuScale’s results may differ materially from its expectations and projections. NuScale specifically disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing NuScale’s assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this release. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus President, Nicos Anastasiades, will participate in the European People’s Party (EPP) summit in Athens and the EU-Western Balkans in Tirana, that will take place on December 2-3 and December 5-6, respectively.

According to a press release issued by the Presidency, Anastasiades leaves on December 2 for Athens, where he will participate in the EPP Summit.

On Friday afternoon President Anastasiades will participate in the first part of the discussions of the Summit, while in the evening he will participate in the working dinner. On December 3 in the morning he will take part in the second part of the proceedings of the Summit.

Among others matters, EPP leaders will discuss issues related to the EU agenda.

In the evening, President Anastasiades will address a dinner organised by the Democratic Rally party branch in Greece.

Anastasiades will then travel to Tirana, where the EU-Western Balkans summit will take place on December 5 and 6.

The EU-Western Balkans summit is taking place for the first time in a country of the Western Balkans as an indication of the EU continuous willingness to further boost the political and economic relations of the Western Balkans and give an impetus to the accession prospects of the countries of the region, amid a period of turmoil in the broader European region.

The EU – Western Balkans Summit will look into issues related to efforts aimed at mitigating the repercussions of the war in Ukraine for the Western Balkans, including the energy and economic field, the accession agenda, the situation in Ukraine, the migration issue, as well as efforts for coordination and cooperation on issues related to the management of the migration issue, cyber security, combating hybrid threads and terrorism.

President Aanstasiades, who returns to Cyprus in the evening of December 6 will be accompanied by Government Spokesperson, Marios Pelekanos, Deputy Minister to the President, Petros Demetriou and Director of his Diplomatic Office, Pantelis Pantelides.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Retail trade in October 2022 increased by 12.5% in value and 3% in volume, compared to the corresponding month of the previous year, according to data published by the Statistical Service of Cyprus on Thursday for the Turnover Volume and Value Indexes of Retail Trade.

The largest increases in value were recorded in the retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores, which increased by 19.8% compared to October 2021 and in electrical household appliances, furniture, lighting, equipment, construction materials, that increased by 16.7%.

In volume, the largest increases were noted in computers and telecommunications equipment, curtains, carpets, books, stationery, sporting equipment, toys, flowers, plants, watches, jewellery and electrical household appliances, furniture, lighting, equipment, construction materials, both categories recording an increase of 8.7%.

For the period January-October 2022, the value index is estimated to have recorded an increase of 11.2% and the volume index an increase of 2% compared to the same period of 2021.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz conveyed to President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades Germany’s solidarity with Cyprus as regards the problem of immigration and expressed his country’s intention to receive 500 asylum seekers from Cyprus.

During their recent meeting in Berlin, the President of the Republic informed the German Chancellor about the immigration problem in Cyprus, asking for the EU’s assistance.

According to sources, during the meeting with the Chancellor, President Anastasiades handed over a document with data demonstrating Cyprus’ position and proving that Turkey is instrumentalizing the issue of immigration.

The same sources said that the German Chancellor described immigration as a European problem and offered immediate German solidarity, by accepting 500 asylum seekers from Cyprus.

Both President Anastasiades and the Chancellor, according to the sources, condemned the instrumentalization of the refugee issue by Turkey. It is recalled that the German Chancellor had asked Turkey – during the joint press conference with President Anastasiades – to abide by the agreement with the EU, for which, as he said, there is no better alternative.

During the meeting, President Anastasiades stressed the need for the EU to take effective measures in order to prevent the instrumentalization of immigration, both by Turkey and by any third country that exploits human suffering in an attempt to gain political benefit.

The increased immigration flows have made the Republic of Cyprus, by far, the first EU member state in terms of the number of political asylum applications in proportion to the population. In the first ten months of 2022 the applications have exceeded 18,000.

The immigration issue is one of the priorities of the government, government sources have said, noting that all measures taken are aimed at halting the increased flows of immigrants.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Chairman of the US Foreign Relations Committee, Robert Menendez said that the challenge with Cyprus is that there has been an invasion and occupation that has lasted over four decades and that continues to be a challenge.

Speaking during the hearing at the Foreign Relations committee of the nomination of Julie Fisher for US Ambassador to Cyprus on Wednesday, Menendez expressed frustration that the US administration does not call on the side which is to blame for not moving forward for a resolution to the problem when it is clear who is to be blamed.

On her part, Fisher said timing is absolutely critical in these issues and from her experience, “we have no time to waste.”

Addressing Fisher, Menendez said “clearly one of the challenges with Cyprus is that there has been an invasion and occupation that has lasted over four decades and that continues to be a challenge as we seek reunification of the island under one nation, bizonal, bicommunal federation.”

In our efforts to move towards that direction, he noted, “I believe President Nicos Anastasiades has actually leaned more forward than any other Cypriot President as it relates to making, I would not say concessions but trying to find a way forward to do so.”

One of the things that frustrates me about the State Department, he underlined “is a call on all sides but when one side is the aggressor, as in my view Azerbaijan is with Armenia, or as in the case of Cyprus, when one side is making concessions and the other is not, is a little frustrating to be called on all sides when in fact there is clarity, clarity should be ultimately called out.”

Asking Fisher how she sees her role in pushing back Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seeking aggressively to take over Varosha, which is a violation of UNSC resolutions, Fisher acknowledged Menendez’s experience on the question of Cyprus, noting that she appears before the committee with tremendous amount of humility.

She also referred to many capable diplomats that have been in work on this case (Cyprus) over decades, noting that she does not underestimate how difficult the challenges are in Cyprus.

“I do think it is a place where there is tremendous opportunity if we can focus our energies on those on the island, those who are paying the highest price for the divisions currently and those who benefit most from that comprehensive settlement, should it be reached.”

She said what she hopes to “bring to this, is the ability to create space and to bring a sense of urgency to this process. The key part of these talks is that they are Cypriot led and UN facilitated and first and foremost that is where I would look to find the way forward”, she added.

Fisher said, “I think timing is absolutely critical in these issues and my experience is that we have no time to waste.”

Menendez said he appreciates her view as “a sense of urgency is important because this conflict has lasted way too long.”

He also agreed that “if Turkish and Greek Cypriots were allowed to engage with each other, there would be a solution.”

However, he said “the problem is that Ankara puts their thumb on the scale and doesn’t allow Turkish Cypriots to find their own way which ultimately means they decide at the end of the day.”

Regarding the East Med, Menendez said he is a strong supporter of the the cooperation between Cyprus, Greece and Israel, adding that “we are looking forward to the first meeting of the 3+1 interparliamentary group to discuss energy cooperation with our allies and partners in the region.”

Menendez said he has been disappointed that there has not been more support for the format from the administration, without holding Fisher responsible for that.

“Just saying that I hope that the next ambassador to Cyprus is an advocate within the interagency process to say we have a tremendous opportunity here”, he remarked.

Menendez also said he gives “credit to the Cypriots that they stopped the Russian ships from ports of call before the invasion which is incredibly important.”

Asked what opportunities she sees for the US to work with Cyprus and our partners in the Eastern Mediterranean, to bolster European energy security, to create a bigger ally as it relates to other energy securities, Fisher replied that when these kinds of formats work and there are meaningful discussions in them, “truly we have the opportunity to expand those agendas significantly”.

Noting that Menendez has cited the energy issues in the Eastern Mediterranean security “as central questions for the 3+1, my experience is that when we find a format where there is so much to share and so much to learn amongst a group of likeminded partners, that truly we can expand this in a multitude of directions”, adding that these kinds of formats are incredibly meaningful to building bilateral relationships.

“You can count on my support for these”, she said, and called for a continued cooperation with Menendez and his team.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Romania wants to give a new impetus to bilateral relations and develop a high-level institutional dialogue with Cyprus, said Dan Mihalache, Ambassador of Romania to Cyprus, on the occasion of the National Day of Romania celebrated annually on December 1.

Speaking during an interview to CNA, the Romanian Ambassador said that administrative and consular support to the Romanian community in Cyprus has been a very important component of the embassy’s work, with the latest figures suggesting there are around 46,000 Romanians currently registered in Cyprus, without considering seasonal workers, especially during the summer, and people working in the occupied areas of Cyprus.

“Although this number might appear small compared to other diaspora communities abroad, they constitute 5% of the Cypriot population and are the third biggest ethnic group on the island”, he added.

The Romanian community in Cyprus is a settled and well-integrated one, continued Mihalache, thanks also to the support of the Republic and the Greek Orthodox Church, and it consists of people that came mainly during the 1990s. Another group came before the 1989 revolution, especially through marriages with Cypriots that studied in Romania, but the majority are economic diaspora members that came in the 1990s and 2000s, attracted by better opportunities, he added.

“In time the conditions have changed since the level of income and the cost of living in the two countries are now similar, meaning that the migration trend has almost stopped, except for seasonal workers, mainly in the HORECA industry”, he said, adding that despite the fact that after the economic crisis and the pandemic around 10,000 people returned to Romania, Cyprus remains an attractive place in to live in.

In relation to the Romanian community’s efforts to maintain ties with the country, the Romanian diplomat said that the younger generation is facing a similar challenge with the Cypriot diaspora members, namely they need help in preserving their national identity as they can have difficulties speaking their mother tongue or establishing personal links with their country of origin.

The existence of Romanian schools all over Cyprus is very helpful in this regard, he stressed, adding that at the moment there are nine Saturday schools for children between 5 and 14 years old run by the Alliance of Romanians in Cyprus, partially founded by the Romanian state and aided by the public institutions of Cyprus.

As regards bilateral relations between Romania and Cyprus, Mihalache said that they have been traditionally good since the founding of the Republic in 1960, but Romania wants to give them a new impetus.

During the 2000s Romania was very focused on its accession to NATO and the EU and bilateral relations with Cyprus were seen through these objectives, he explained, adding that there are now many new cooperation areas, such as IT, where both countries can help each other, and education, in relation to which he said that from the beginning of 2023 there will be a Romanian Language and Civilisation Chair in the Cyprus University of Technology that could be used as a vehicle for enhancing cooperation between various Romanian and Cypriot universities.

The Romanian ambassador also said that there are currently growing economic exchanges between Romania and Cyprus, with a recorded growth of 50% between 2020 and 2021 and 35% during the first six months of 2022, adding that there is room for further cooperation in the areas of education and culture.

There are also policy points the two countries share at the European level, he noted, adding that as very difficult times are approaching bilateral dialogue between Romania and Cyprus as partners within a very dynamic and changing EU can be an asset for both countries.

“There will be a lot of challenges in the future for the EU in terms of internal organization, policies, external relations of the Union and I believe we can find common positions and share our voices in the EU”, he stressed.

Mihalache also said that the Romanian side plans to develop an institutional high-level dialogue with Cyprus during the next year, adding that there is time for a high-level visit of the Romanian President to Cyprus next year and a high-level meeting between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs to set up these common positions and design a future cooperation plan.

On the Cyprus issue, Romania has supported the position of the United Nations based on international law and the legitimate demand of the Republic of Cyprus that international law must be respected, said the Romanian diplomat, adding that the conflict in Ukraine highlights the necessity to stick to the principles of international law. “In this respect, Cyprus will have our support in the international institutions and within the EU”, he underlined.

As regards Ukraine, he said that although Romania is not very dependent on Russian gas, it remains at the frontline of the western, democratic value-oriented world and feels the pressure of Russian aggression as it has a long eastern border with Ukraine and the Black Sea being a very critical geopolitical area.

Romania received a large number of Ukrainian refugees, but not all of them stayed in the country, he continued, adding that at the moment Romania is capable of sustaining economically this migration wave, but as the situation worsens there could be fluxes that can exceed the country’s and even Europe’s humanitarian response capacity as millions of people are moving within and out of Ukraine.

In terms of NATO, the alliance’s foreign ministers finished a two-day meeting in Bucharest on Wednesday, one of the most important events for Romania this year according to Mihalache, which gives a clear signal to Russia that the alliance’s eastern flank is important and will be defended, but also that the Black Sea is an important area not only for the regional security, but also for the entire continent.

Regarding the latest developments concerning Romania’s access to the Schengen area, the Romanian ambassador said that we are still waiting for the EU Council decision on 8 December since in technical terms the European Commission has recommended Romania’s participation to the Schengen area, but there is still opposition by some member states, mainly Austria and the Netherlands.

“What we learned in this debate about Schengen in the last months, and should be kept in mind by all member states, is that we are not dealing with objective criteria, but various state interests and internal political debates, something not very fair in terms of European solidarity. If we want to build a stronger Europe, solidarity and criteria must be effective”, he stressed.

Finally, asked, in view of the National Day of Romania, about the main challenges and the main aspirations of the country, Mihalache said that in the last thirty years Romania has undergone a rapid process of change following its aspiration to be a modern European country.

He added that the partnership with the United States and its NATO membership provides Romania with the security element it historically needed in this very complicated geopolitical area, with the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in the proximity of Romania showing how important it is for Romania to be a strategic partner for the US and NATO.

“EU membership provides instruments for achieving economic and modernization goals, but we still have to work on reducing the gaps in infrastructure, economic development and quality of life”, he continued, adding that Romania will also have to project its role within the EU, but also as partner in traditional areas where it used to play a political role, such as the Middle East and North Africa, with Cyprus being an important element in this area.

“Romanians want to be proud of being Romanians in Europe and the world, as partners and a strong country is a very complex world”, he concluded.

Source: Cyprus News Agency