Category: Governance

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Constantinos Kombos stressed the need for a de-escalation of the situation in Israel, during the extraordinary informal teleconference of EU Foreign Ministers held yesterday, Tuesday 10 October, in Muscat, where the situation in Israel and the region following recent developments was discussed. According to a statement, EU Ministers condemned the Hamas attacks, reaffirming their support for Israel and its right to self-defence in accordance with the relevant principles of international law, and stressed the urgent need for the immediate release of all hostages kidnapped by Hamas. The Ministers also underlined the need to revitalise the Middle East peace process, including by strengthening cooperation with regional and international actors. For his part, Kombos expressed Cyprus’ full solidarity with the Government and people of Israel, condemning unequivocally the indiscriminate attacks by Hamas against Israel and civilians, and stressed the need for a de-escalation of the situation, the statement concluded.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The Council of Ministers adopted on Wednesday the Code of Conduct for the members of the government. The Code contains a foreword by President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, who stresses that the Code of Conduct, among others, is based on the principles of integrity, meritocracy, transparency, impartiality, honesty, confidentiality, objectivity and accountability. “Safeguarding and observing the above principles is a primary concern, but also my personal obligation to the citizens for the consolidation of a strong Rule of Law,” he says. President Christodoulides stresses that the Code contains specific rules of ethics and the obligations related to those principles, as they arise from the current legislative framework. It is a road map, he notes, based on which himself and every member of the government should decide and act in the framework of their duties, while at the same time it provides for a system of adequate monitoring and effective enforcement in case of non-compliance. Furthermore, the President notes that the Code constitutes the implementation of an action of his Governance Programme as well as a fulfillment of the recommendation of the Greco Committee in the fifth evaluation round. “I invite you to make proper use of the Code as a guide to ‘good governance’, thus offering the best possible service to the Cypriot people, to whom we are all accountable every day and who will ultimately judge us all,” he concludes. The Code is applicable for the members of the government including the Ministers and Deputy Ministers, the Government Spokesperson, the Deputy Government Spokesperson, the Director of the Office of the President of the Republic, the Director of the Press Office of the President of the Republic, the Director of the Diplomatic Office of the President of the Republic, the Commissioners who report to the Presidency, and the Secretary of the Council of Ministers. The Code is binding for the members of the Government.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke over the phone amid recent tensions between Israel and Palestine, Turkish diplomatic sources said on Saturday.

Fidan and Blinken discussed the latest developments on the conflict, the sources said.

Earlier, Fidan held phone calls with his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Furhan al-Saud, Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry, Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Maliki, and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

Hamas launched on Saturday Operation Al Aqsa Flood, saying its surprise, multifront attack was in response to the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque and increased settler violence. It said it fired rockets and captured many Israelis.

In turn, the Israeli army initiated Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

At least 232 Palestinians have been killed in the attacks, according to medical sources in Gaza, while Israeli authorities put their death toll at 300.

Earlier, US President Joe Biden said he directed his national security team to remain in contact with leaders including those of Egypt, Trkiye, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia after Palestinian operation in Israel.

Source: Anadolu Agency

The EU must act decisively in all cases of violation of international law and human rights, and stand by the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, the President of the Parliament, Annita Demetriou, said on Wednesday in her meeting with the Ambassador of France to Cyprus, Salina Grenet-Catalano. A statement from the Parliament said that Demetriou, who received the Ambassador of France to Cyprus, expressed her gratitude for France’s principled stance and long-term support, as a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council and a member state of the European Union, regarding the Cyprus problem and the efforts to restart talks for a settlement, in accordance with the relevant UN Resolutions. Grenet-Catalano stressed the importance of creating the right conditions for a swift resumption of the talks, it said. The President of the Parliament, it adds, also thanked France for its active solidarity as regards Cyprus’ efforts to manage ‘the disproportionate immigration pressures it has been receiving’, including the relocation of beneficiaries of international protection to France, within the framework of the EU’s Voluntary Solidarity Mechanism. It also said that, during the meeting, the close cooperation relations between Cyprus and France, based on common principles were underlined from both sides while ways of further promote inter-parliamentary exchanges were discussed, especially at the level of the Speakers of the two Parliaments, as well as the European and multilateral context. Reference was also made to the submission of an application for the participation of the House of Representatives in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie, the announcement states. There was also an exchange of views on matters of wider interest, the statement said. ‘Concern was expressed about the violation of international law and human rights of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of the military aggression of Azerbaijan,’ it added. According to the announcement, the President of the Parliament stressed that the EU must act decisively in all cases of violations of international law and human rights, as it rightly does for Ukraine, and stand by the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Kevin McCarthy was removed from the speakership of the US House of Representatives on Tuesday in a historic vote prompted by a revolt from the top Republican’s right flank. The 216-210 vote saw eight Republican lawmakers and all present Democrats vote to remove him from the post. The House adjourned shortly after the vote concluded. Republican Representative Patrick McHenry was appointed interim speaker until a leader can be selected. A vote will now need to be held to elect a successor. McCarthy later confirmed that he would not run for House speaker again, saying he leaves the post “with a sense of pride, accomplishment” and “optimism.” “I don’t regret standing up for choosing governing over grievance,” he told reporters. “I don’t regret negotiating.” It is unclear who will ultimately take the role. A simple majority was needed in the chamber to force McCarthy’s removal. Members leaving the House Republican conference meeting said there will be a candidate forum for speaker next Tuesday and an election on Wednesday next week, according to NBC News. Representative Matt Gaetz introduced the “motion to vacate” the chair on Monday and took to the House floor on Tuesday afternoon to launch a broadside against McCarthy, accusing him of failing to live up to his word. “The one thing that the White House, House Democrats, and many of us on the conservative side of the Republican caucus would argue is the thing we have in common: Kevin McCarthy said something to all of us at one point or another that he didn’t really mean and never intended to live up to,” he said. “I don’t think voting against Kevin McCarthy is chaos. I think $33 trillion in debt is chaos. I think that facing a $2.2 trillion annual deficit is chaos. I think that not passing single subject spending bills is chaos,” he added. In addition to Gaetz, Republican Representatives Andy Biggs, Ken Buck, Tim Burchett, Eli Crane, Bob Good, Nancy Mace and Matt Rosendale voted to end McCarthy’s speakership. Tuesday’s no-confidence vote is the first in US history to result in the removal of a House speaker. McCarthy earlier this year lowered the threshold needed to bring a motion to vacate to the House floor in a concession to Gaetz’s wing of the Republican Party that saw him assume the speakership.

Source: EN – Anadolu Agency

The State Department said Wednesday the US stands ‘firmly’ with its NATO ally Trkiye in the fight against the PKK — designated as a terror organization by Washington. But the agency avoided commenting on the terror group’s connection to its Syrian branch, the YPG. Asked by an Anadolu reporter about Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s remarks when he said the two PKK/YPG terrorists who attempted a terror attack Sunday came from Syria, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel responded: ‘The US stands firmly with our NATO ally Turkey and the Turkish people in their fight against the PKK, which has been designated FTO (Foreign Terrorist Organization) by the United States.’ ‘On these specific claims, though we have not received enough adequate information to confirm those. We don’t have anything to offer from here,’ he said. When pressed by another reporter on the distinction between threats posed by the PKK and the YPG to Trkiye and the US position if they are separate, Patel said: ‘That is the case. I’m not here to change long-standing US policy.’ ‘We recognize the legitimate security threat that PKK poses to Trkiye,’ said Patel. Asked if the US thinks the YPG poses a threat to Trkiye, he said: ‘I don’t have a security assessment like that to offer.’ The US policy on Syria has been one of the most challenging issues between the two NATO allies as Trkiye has never accepted the US support for the YPG because of its ties to the PKK, which has been listed as a terror organization by Trkiye and EU as well. The US has said several times that it sees the YPG, which was renamed the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as a partner in the fight against Daesh/ISIS in Syria and does not recognize it as a terror group, although it does acknowledge the PKK as such. The PKK has waged a terror campaign against Trkiye for more than 35 years and has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people. A suicide bomber blew himself up Sunday in front of the Security Directorate General in Trkiye’s capital of Ankara, while another terrorist was killed by security forces at the entrance gate. Two police officers suffered minor injuries in the attack. The Interior Ministry confirmed the attackers’ links to the PKK terror group. Fidan said Wednesday that two terrorists who attempted the attack came from Syria, adding that facilities belonging to the PKK/YPG terror group in Iraq and Syria are “legitimate targets” of Turkish Armed Forces.

Source: EN – Anadolu Agency

Migration, housing and traffic are the subjects the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides focuses on, aiming for immediate and effective resolution, he said, speaking at the regular meeting of the Board of Directors of Cyprus Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEB) in Limassol on Wednesday afternoon. Regarding traffic, and referring to Park and Ride bus programme implemented in Nicosia, he mentioned that an ambitious effort started, along with the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, with the first results being evident in the first two weeks, as he said. He noted that the effort will continue with the school buses and will also continue in Limassol. Regarding housing, the President noted that in the first week of October the Minister of Interior will proceed with the announcement of specific programs with a four-year plan. Regarding migration, the President said that it is important that for the first time more people are leaving Cyprus than are coming. “We have speeded up the processes, we have more people reviewing the applications, the umbrella of our efforts is to stop our country being seen as an attractive destination.” He noted that measures are being taken so that there will not be a new migration route from Lebanon, while he said that in order for Cyprus to stop being an attractive destination we must “change some of the incentives” used by traffickers to bring migrants to Cyprus. Moreover, the President presented his priorities for a strong and resilient economy. He noted the need for a tax reform and a reform of the pensions system, while noting the importance of an effective rule of law. Regarding the green transition, the President underlined the importance of households and businesses having access to clean low-cost energy and mentioned a new solar-panel funding scheme being finalized. Finally, President Christodoulides said that rebranding Cyprus’ name internationally was also a priority.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola will be in Cyprus on Sunday, on the occasion of the independence day of the Republic of Cyprus, where she will also attend the annual independence day parade, the Cyprus News Agency has been told. In the morning, Metsola will visit the Presidential Palace where she will lay a wreath at the statue of Makarios III, first President of the Republic of Cyprus, and will then have a meeting with President Christodoulides. The two will then hold a joint press conference, after which they will attend the annual independence day parade.

Source: Cyprus News Agency