Day: March 8, 2024

ISTANBUL: Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan on Friday discussed the developments in the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. According to a statement by the Saudi Foreign Ministry, bin Farhan received a phone call from Blinken during which they discussed regional and international issues, notably the developments in the Gaza Strip. They also discussed 'security and humanitarian repercussions" in the Gaza Strip and efforts being made to address them. The phone conversation came amid ongoing efforts by the US, Qatar and Egypt to bridge the differences between Israel and the Hamas group to reach a cease-fire in Gaza and a prisoner swap deal before the start of the month of Ramadan next week. Israel has launched a retaliatory offensive on Gaza since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7. The offensive has killed more than 30,800 people and injured nearly 73,000 others amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities. Israel has also imposed a crippling b lockade on the Palestinian enclave, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation. About 85% of Gazans have been displaced by the Israeli onslaught amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN. Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in an interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza. Source: Anadolu Agency

Israel welcomes the inauguration of the maritime corridor from Cyprus to the Gaza Strip, noting that the Cypriot initiative will allow the increase of humanitarian aid, Spokesperson of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lior Haiat wrote on the platform 'X'. "Israel welcomes the inauguration of the maritime corridor from Cyprus to the Gaza Strip. The Cypriot initiative will allow the increase of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, after security checks are carried out in accordance with Israeli standards." He added that "Israel will continue to facilitate the transfer of humanitarian aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip in accordance with the rules of war and in coordination with the United States and our allies around the world. We will continue the fight against Hamas - an organization that calls for the destruction of the State of Israel and carried out the 7 October massacre - until its elimination and the return of all the hostages". It is very important, he stresses, "that additional countries join the Cypriot initiative and the international effort to transfer aid". Source: Cyprus News Agency

ISTANBUL: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that his country achieved 'serious humanitarian results' on the rescue of nationals in Russian captivity thanks to Trkiye's efforts. Speaking at a joint news conference with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Istanbul, Zelenskyy thanked the Turkish president and people for their support for Kyiv's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence. Expressing that they held a very productive and friendly meeting with Erdogan, Zelenskyy said he gave his counterpart a list of Ukrainian prisoners held by Russia, especially composed of Crimean Tatars. "We must free them all, both soldiers and civilians, and those who were captured while defending their people," said Zelenskyy. He said he and Erdogan paid significant attention to his peace formula and he informed him about preparations for the peace summit in Switzerland later this year. "Trkiye's special role deserves the leadership of your state to be present at the peace summit a nd in the joint work of the world majority for the full implementation of the peace formula," he said. Regarding bilateral ties, Ukraine's president said his country devoted a lot of time to discussing cooperation in the defense sphere, both at the government level and at the level of companies, and it reached certain agreements. Expressing his satisfaction in meeting with representatives of Trkiye's business world, Zelenskyy said Ukraine is "ready to move towards the maximum operational implementation of the projects discussed," which he argued will be "strong," Zelenskyy said the two countries are working for "joint arms and ammunition" production, adding that it has a "strategic" aspect. He also said food security was discussed, underlining the importance of the Black Sea region. "Our corridor works quickly. Many ships passed through there. I am sure we can do more. More than 30 million grains have already passed through that corridor," he said. Zelenskyy arrived in Trkiye earlier in the day with a d elegation that also included Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. Trkiye, Ukraine sign electronic information sharing agreement Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat and Umerov signed an agreement on the establishment of an "Electronic Information Sharing System for Goods and Transport Vehicles" during the visit. "This agreement will facilitate our mutual trade and transportation," Bolat wrote on X. "It is expected to make significant contributions to both countries in increasing our trade volume," he added. Bolat emphasized: "Despite the war, our mutual trade and economic relations continue to thrive, and we anticipate further deepening with the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement." Source: Anadolu Agency

Finance Minister Makis Keravnos is travelling to Brussels on Sunday, 10 March to participate in the Eurogroup meeting taking place on Monday. According to a statement issued by the Ministry, the Eurozone Finance Ministers will discuss macroeconomic developments and prospects in the Eurozone, with a view to adopting a joint statement on the orientation of Member States' fiscal policies for the year 2025, ahead of the expected implementation of the revised EU economic governance framework. It is added that in this context Cyprus remains committed to fiscal discipline and the continuation of ambitious structural reforms, supporting the close coordination of fiscal policies, which contributes decisively to the strengthening and cohesion of the Eurozone. It is also noted that the Finance Ministers of the 27 Member States will then discuss the next steps for the deepening of the EU's Capital Markets Union, with a view to finalising guidelines for the new European Commission to take concrete legislative initiati ves that can lead to a pan-European Capital Markets Union. Cyprus supports the whole effort, aiming to increase financing options for businesses and increase the participation of international investors in the EU capital markets, through the reduction of costs and bureaucracy, the statement concludes. Source: Cyprus News Agency

ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said that Ankara will continue its efforts for 'fair peace' between Russia and Ukraine "While we continue our solidarity with Ukraine, we will continue to endeavor to end the war with fair peace based on negotiations," Erdogan said at a joint news conference with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymr Zelenskyy in Istanbul. 'I would also like to extend my condolences for the Ukrainian citizens who lost their lives in the two years of war,' he said, adding that he discussed the developments in the ongoing war 'in detail' with Zelenskyy. The negative repercussions of the war have been increasing on a regional and global scale, particularly in Ukraine, he said. 'No diplomatic step has been taken of a quality that could come close to the negotiating table we formed for the establishment of peace in Istanbul in March 2022,' Erdogan said. 'Since the beginning, we have made, and continue to make every contribution in our power for the termination of the war on th e basis of negotiations,' he said, adding Ankara is ready to host a peace summit in which Russia will also participate. Navigation safety The Turkish president further said: 'In our consultations, we also exchanged views on issues related to the stability of the Black Sea, such as export corridors and safety of navigation.' Erdogan said the Black Sea Grain Initiative allowed nearly 33 million tons of grain to reach those in need, preventing a global food crisis, adding that Ankara is ready again to do its best. He emphasized that it is of great importance for Ukraine to become economically self-sustaining and secure in the coming period. The Turkish president also said that his support for Ukraine's goal of integration into the Euro-Atlantic institutions remains unchanged. 'We are pleased that our bilateral trade is stable despite the war,' he said, adding that the two sides agreed to increase the target of bilateral trade to $10 billion. 'The entry into force of the free trade agreement (with Ukraine) as soon as possible will undoubtedly give a new impetus to our relations,' he added. Pointing to the ongoing efforts from Turkish firms in Ukraine 'despite all challenges that the war has brought,' he said that Trkiye will 'strongly' support the reconstruction of the war-torn Ukraine. Trkiye, internationally praised for its unique mediator role between Ukraine and Russia, has time and again called on Kyiv and Moscow to end the fighting through negotiations.? Turkish peace efforts were fruitful with some significant results, such as the landmark grain deal in July 2022, and the exchange of prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine. Moscow did not extend the deal after July 2023 citing restrictions on Russian grain exports. Trkiye first hosted a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers in the Mediterranean city of Antalya in March 2022.? Crimean Tatars The Turkish president also touched on the issue of Crimean Tatars, saying that the presence of Crimean Tatars in Ukraine is one of the important elements that reinforces the friendship between the two countries and that the Crimean Tatars, who are an 'indispensable part' of Ukraine, are fighting hard for the restoration of the territorial integrity of the country. Thanking Zelenskyy for his efforts in guaranteeing the rights of Crimean Tatar compatriots and strengthening their autonomous status, Erdogan stated that Ankara has always supported and will continue to support their Crimean Tatar compatriots. Responding to a question about the crisis stemming from the Russia-Ukraine war, Erdogan underlined the importance of three things: 'One of them is food security, another is prisoner exchange and the third one is the guarantee of navigation.' The two sides also signed an agreement on the 'Establishment of Electronic Preliminary Information Exchange System for Goods and Vehicles.' Source: Anadolu Agency

ANKARA: France on Friday condemned Israel's approval of additional settlement units in the occupied West Bank. Israel approved the construction of 3,500 new units in the West Bank settlements, France's Foreign Ministry recalled in a statement. 'France calls on the Israeli government to go back on this unacceptable, illegal, and irresponsible decision immediately, in light of the already extremely high tensions in the West Bank, and ahead of the sensitive period of holy days,' the ministry stressed. The statement emphasized that Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories are in violation of international law, and "must stop." "France condemns all unilateral steps that undermine the perspective for a two-state solution, which is the only one to meet Israel's right to security and Palestinians' legitimate aspirations," the ministry further said and recalled that it imposed sanctions on violent, extremist Israeli settlers of West Bank. Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip si nce an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by the Palestinian group Hamas, which Tel Aviv said killed nearly 1,200 people. At least 30,800 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza and nearly 73,000 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities. Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation. The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN. Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza. Source: Anadolu Agency

The Technical Committee on Health has announced the successful completion of a training focused on combatting Aedes invasive mosquitoes, with funding from the European Union organized by UNDP and in coordination with OSASG-Cyprus. A press release says that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots came together for the first of two training sessions aimed at increasing public awareness of the significance of mosquito control. Led by a diverse panel of experts, the training provided a platform for knowledge exchange, best practice sharing, and hands-on demonstrations. Participants, including healthcare professionals, and members of the public, engaged in a discussion covering a wide array of topics, including understanding the behaviour of Aedes mosquitoes, implementing effective surveillance and monitoring strategies and how people can protect themselves. Aedes invasive mosquitoes have been detected in some areas of the island of Cyprus. Aedes mosquitoes, notably Aedes aegypti (yellow fever mosquito) and Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito), are known for transmitting infectious diseases such as dengue fever, Zika virus, chikungunya, and yellow fever. With their rapid proliferation and adaptability to various environments, these mosquitoes pose significant public health threats in many regions across the globe, hence the importance of the work of the Technical Committee on Health in this field. A second training session is planned for April, the press release says. Source: Cyprus News Agency

ANKARA: The Israeli army on Friday said seven rockets were fired from southern Lebanon toward northern Israel. In a statement, cited by the Times of Israel news website, the Israeli army said the rockets were fired at the northern Upper Galilee area, triggering the activation of the rocket sirens in the settlements of Dishon, Malkia, and Ramot Naftali. It added that two of the rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome air defense system, while the five others landed in open areas. No injuries were reported by the Israeli health authorities. Lebanese group Hezbollah said it struck with Katyusha rockets the Israeli army's artillery positions in the Dishon area, northern Israel. Tension has flared along the border between Lebanon and Israel amid intermittent exchanges of weapons fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, in the deadliest clashes since the two sides fought a full-scale war in 2006. The border tension comes amid an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7. Source: Anadolu Agency

The President of the House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou, will travel to London to participate between 10 and 11 March 2024 in a summit of Speakers of Parliaments on the 75th anniversary of the Commonwealth, following an invitation from the Speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, Sir Lindsay Hoyle. According to a statement issued by the House, more than thirty Speakers of Parliament from the organisation's members are expected to attend the summit, with the President of the House being accompanied by the International Relations Officers Christiana Solomonidou and Loukia Mouyi. It is added that in the framework of the summit, Demetriou will participate with her counterparts in consultations on the role and importance of the Commonwealth in modern times, at the end of which a Joint Communiqué will be adopted, and she will also attend the annual Commonwealth Day ceremony at Westminster Abbey and lay a wreath at the Commonwealth Memorial Gates. The Speaker is expected to return to Cyprus on the afternoon of Tuesday 12 March 2024, the statement concludes. Source: Cyprus News Agency