Cyprus

NICOSIA, Feb 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Cyprus green-lighted an independent investigation on Monday after police were accused of using excessive force against protesters, leaving one woman reportedly needing eye surgery.

Police used water cannon and tear gas in Nicosia on Saturday as hundreds held an initially peaceful protest against government corruption and coronavirus restrictions.

Attorney-General George Savvides gave the go-ahead Monday for an independent watchdog to appoint criminal investigators to probe accusations of police brutality, his office said in a statement.

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Emmanuel Conteh negotiates the muddy, rutted pathways in shorts and torn plastic flip-flops and says he can’t sleep in his heavy canvas tent at night because of the cold.

He laments the “hellish” conditions in ethnically divided Cyprus’ cramped Pournara migrant reception camp, where he’s been living for the past two months after flying to the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north and then clandestinely crossing into the internationally recognized south.

23 Oct 2020; MEMO: The Turkish Foreign Ministry slammed on Thursday the closing statement issued by Egypt, Cyprus and Greece after a summit in Nicosia in which they accused Turkey of carrying out numerous “provocations” that threaten regional security. Such “provocations” include Ankara’s undersea drilling and exploration for oil and gas in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The ministry said that Turkey rejects the declaration which contains “baseless accusations and allegations”.

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Turkish Cypriots began voting Sunday in a leadership runoff between an incumbent who pledges a course less bound by Turkey’s dictates and a challenger who favors even closer ties to Ankara. The stakes have soared as a battle over energy rights in the eastern Mediterranean has intensified.

Veteran incumbent Mustafa Akinci, 72, is a champion of Turkish Cypriots who oppose Turkey’s complete domination of their affairs. His hard-line challenger Ersin Tatar, 60, advocates fully aligning Turkish Cypriot policies with those of Turkey, the region’s patron.

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — A leftist incumbent will take on a hard-line challenger in a runoff to decide who will lead Turkish Cypriots in overcoming deep political chasms with rival Greek Cypriots to end a nearly half-century of ethnic division in Cyprus and quell tensions over offshore energy reserves.

With all votes tallied, right-wing candidate Ersin Tatar came out on top with 32.35% of ballots cast, edging out incumbent Mustafa Akinci with 29.84%. Neither garnered the required majority to win outright. Center-left candidate Tufan Erhurman trailed in third place with 21.68%.

NICOSIA (Reuters) - Northern Cyprus reopened part of the beachfront of a resort abandoned since Turkey invaded the island in 1974, witnesses said on Thursday, taking a step supported by Ankara but condemned by Greek Cypriots and causing concern internationally.

People wearing face masks streamed in after being allowed through a checkpoint by police near the beachfront of Varosha, a deserted suburb of Famagusta city in the breakaway Northern Cyprus state in the east of the divided Mediterranean island.

NICOSIA, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Visiting U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Saturday that the United States is "deeply concerned" over Turkey's gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean amid growing tensions between Turkey, Cyprus and Greece.

"We remain deeply concerned by Turkey's ongoing operations surveying for natural resources in areas over which Greece and Cyprus assert jurisdiction in the Eastern Mediterranean," Pompeo said at a joint press conference with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades.

08 Sep 2020; MEMO: Cyprus has sent a team of officials to Lebanon to help local authorities try to stop boats carrying migrants from attempting to reach the European island nation by sea, Agence France Presse (AFP) reported.

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Russia’s foreign minister said Tuesday that Moscow is ready to help ease rising tensions over Turkey’s search for energy reserves in the eastern Mediterranean and rejected any actions that could lead to further escalation.

Sergey Lavrov said Moscow is ready to step in and help start talks if asked by all the countries involved in the tense standoff.

“Russia considers as unacceptable any steps that could further escalate tensions,” Lavrov said after talks with Cypriot counterpart Nicos Christodoulides.

07 Sep 2020; MEMO: Four boats filled with migrants from Lebanon and Syria have reached Cyprus within the past few days, adding to the refugee crisis in the eastern Mediterranean, the Cyprus Mail reported on Sunday. At least 123 migrants were on board the boats, said Cypriot police; half were allowed to disembark.