Day: March 23, 2024

Nicosia has strongly condemned the deadly terrorist attack in Moscow, expressing its shock and its sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims. The Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a post on X : "Shocked by the tragic news of the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in Moscow. We strongly condemn the attack against civilians. Sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims." Source: Cyprus News Agency

Bilateral relations between Cyprus and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), developments in the Middle East and the humanitarian situation in Gaza, including the aid sent via the maritime humanitarian corridor from Cyprus will be the focus of discussions which Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos will have on Saturday during a working visit he is paying to the UAE. According to a press release issued by the Foreign Ministry, Kombos will meet with the UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Ebrahim Al Hashimy. Kombos will then depart for Kazakhstan, where he will pay a one-day official visit on Monday, at the invitation of his counterpart, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu. According to the Foreign Ministry, during his stay in the capital Astana, Kombos will have a private meeting with Nurtleu, followed by extended talks between the delegations of the two Ministries, after which the Ministers will make statements to the media. It is further noted that discussions will focus on bilateral relations between Cyprus and Kazakhstan, developments in the Cyprus problem, relations between the European Union and Kazakhstan, regional developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and Central Asia, as well as developments in Ukraine and the Middle East. The Minister will also be received by the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the President of the Senate Maulen Ashimbayev, and will have a meeting with the Prosecutor General of Kazakhstan Berik Asylov. Kombos will also visit the Astana International Financial Centre, the press release said. 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. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres appointed María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar of Columbia as his persona l envoy for Cyprus, to assume a Good Offices role on his behalf and search for common ground on the way forward in the Cyprus issue. Source: Cyprus News Agency

At Nicosia International Airport one cannot see passengers preparing to depart or arriving, nor baggage carts wheeling suitcases of busy travelers, the joy of children arriving with their parents to visit the airport's cafeteria, and gaze at the aircraft from the balcony or hear announcement about departures or arrivals or see. What you can hear is the strong wind penetrating through the broken windows of the building and the rooftop, the merciless beat of the pieces of the false ceiling that are shattered. What you see is broken glass on the floor, debris, the excrement of permanent residents, pigeons, a vandalized site, a building that is a hotbed of contamination and delinquent activities. Fifty years on after it was abruptly abandoned due to the Turkish invasion, this former pride of the newly established Republic, still sits hushed, as year by year, any hopes for change fade even further into the obscurity. The Cyprus News Agency has written in the past articles about the state of Nicosia airport. The history of the airport has been said many times and will be given below. However, the airport is of great interest, both for those who visited it in its thriving era, and for those who know about this building that was once a marvel of architecture that has now turned into a scene from an apocalypse movie. UNFICYP Spokesperson Aleem Siddique, Captain Philip Brazier and Corporal Dave Mannery took CNA on a unique tour of the airport, as UNFICYP marks 60 years in Cyprus. The peacekeepers emphasized the features of the building, although modern at the time, now a complete contrast due to the upgrade of security around the world. Electrical cables have been stripped down, the false ceiling has receded or fallen. Only the structure of duty-free, passport, health security and other kiosks remains. A sticker with the name of the Kodak company recalls the times when digital photography was unknown. The grand staircase leading to the first-floor restaurant, which was open to the public for aircraft viewing is off lim its as it poses a high security risk. Part of it has collapsed from rainfall coming from the roof. The inner walls are covered with mold. The pigeons have found refuge inside the huge signs of companies such as BATA, "Intercontinental Holidays" and "Seiko", testimonies of a bygone era lined up in the departure hall. The vegetation evident inside the building behind the balcony, showing that even in the worst conditions, there is still hope. An airport that had the capacity to accommodate up to 11 aircraft at once, with a runway 2. 7 kilometers long, considered long for its time, is in ruins. As we step on cracked glass and pigeon droppings, we are told that we cannot go outside on the balcony as the letters depicting the name of Nicosia Airport and the structure is a danger to our safety. They take us to the roof through the kitchen of the restaurant on the first floor. To mark its 60th anniversary, UNFICYP has established trails along the airport, which were open for guided tours for diplomats. Images showi ng the airport in its heyday, landmark dates such as the inauguration by the first President of the Republic, Archbishop Makarios, and even images from the days before the Turkish invasion, when foreign nationals left Cyprus to escape the internal strife following the coup. The view from the roof is unique. The capital can be seen in the background, even the Pentadaktylos mountain range. Nicosia has experienced great growth in the last 50 years and has a population of 256 thousand. Houses and apartment buildings were erected on the outskirts of the United Nations Protected area where the airport is located. It is doubtful that an airport can reopen so close to residential areas. Corporal Mannery holds a photo of UN Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim visiting Nicosia airport, looking over Nicosia where the Cyprus Airways plane that has been destroyed is located. From the roof you can see the first building that was the airport and was constructed by the RAF after World War II. One of the 3 Trident 2E airplanes purchased by the then national carrier Cyprus Airways in June 1972 from BEA, (British European Airways) and registration 5B-DAC was hit by Turkish bombing in 1974. The plane was salvaged after extensive repairs by British Airways engineers and transferred back to the UK in 1977. Today it is at the Daxford Aviation Society, having been completely renovated and painted as a BEA airplane and bearing an original British registration. Another Trident Sun Jet remains parked in a corner of the runaway by its pilot on the day of the Turkish invasion in 1974. It has literally been destroyed during the Turkish Air Force bombing and then repeatedly vandalised. The pieces of yet another Trident remain on the airport grounds. Captain Brazier told CNA that an addition was built on the hangar to accommodate the high tail of the Trident aircraft. From the roof we descended to the departures hall, a trademark of Nicosia International Airport where the impressive modern seats were lined up. Broken and torn, others removed by vandals, the whole space has been turned into a junkyard with bird excrement, feathers and collapsed false ceiling pieces being the main elements that prevail. Since May 2014, Larnaka International Airport has been hosting the historic artwork "Birth and Rebirth". The artwork was created by Valentinos Charalambous in 1967 and it was a landmark at Nicosia International Airport until the illegal Turkish invasion of 1974. Today, the same artwork becomes a landmark of Larnaka International Airport. The rescue and hosting of this artwork at the biggest airport in the country was a top cultural priority for Hermes Airports, it said on its website, as it symbolizes the progress of Cyprus country through the ages Official positions ------------- The Cyprus News Agency has attempted to find out if there is any hope for the Nicosia Airport site to undergo repairs or be utilized. UNFICYP Spokesperson Aleem Siddique told CNA that 'the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus is mandated to keep the status quo across the buff er zone, this includes the Old Nicosia Airport'. Despite several attempts the sides were never able to reach an agreement on the reopening of the airport, he added. UNFICYP continues to patrol the airport and carries out occasional remedial works to ensure the safety of UN patrols in and around the buildings. Deputy Government Spokesman Yiannis Antoniou told CNA that the maintenance of Nicosia airport, as well as other buildings and/or infrastructure located in areas where control is exercised by the UN Peacekeeping Force, is regulated between the Peacekeeping Force and the Republic of Cyprus, on the basis of the relevant agreement. He said UNFICYP 'carries out maintenance works', or where deemed necessary, or provided for by the relevant agreement, this maintenance is undertaken by the Republic of Cyprus'. The reopening of Nicosia Airport was last raised at the level of negotiations between the two sides during the Presidency of George Vassiliou and during the early presidency of Glafcos Clerides, withou t a conclusion. It was raised in the context of a discussion of Confidence Building Measures. Since then, it has never been discussed. Airport History ----------- Nicosia International Airport lies to the west of the Cypriot capital city of Nicosia. The airport used to be the principal airport for Cyprus from its construction in 1968 until 1974. It has been inoperable since 1974 and currently is under the control of UNFICYP, and serves as the Force's headquarters. On July 20, 1974, two empty Cyprus Airways airliners were destroyed on the ground by the Turkish Air Force during the illegal Turkish invasion of Cyprus. On July 22, 1974, 20 Greek Nord Noratlas and 10 C-47 Dakotas, of the 354 Transport Squadron ''Pegasus'', were assigned to transport a Greek commando force to protect the Nicosia Airport from invading Turks. This operation was named Operation NIKI (victory). The Greek commandos, who were transported to Cyprus with Noratlas aircraft, took positions outside the Nicosia Airport and during the foll owing days had heroic fights against the invasion forces. Thanks to their self-sacrifice, the invading forces failed to conquer the Nicosia Airport. However, since 1974, the north part of Cyprus remains under the Turkish occupation, temporarily'. The 'Great Cyprus Encyclopedia' writes that the first airport in Cyprus operated from Larnaca in 1936. It was a basic construction used primarily for Misr Airwork company which scheduled weekly flights to and from Cairo with De Havilland DH-86 small four-engine passenger aircraft. The flights were transferred from Larnaca to Nicosia, close to the village of Yerolakos, eight kilometers west of the capital. The same site was used by the Royal Air Force. The UNFICYP website writes that that during the Second World War, the Airport saw heavy use as it served as a RAF Station. 'It opened as a commercial airport two years after the end of the War, in 1947, but the area surrounding the airport itself remained the location for the Air Station. After Cyprus gained indepen dence in 1960, the airport and its surrounding area were transferred to the Cyprus Government. The airport itself, including the tower, was staffed and run by Greek Cypriots, and was the island's only international airport. The RAF continued to occupy part of the site, known as the RAF Nicosia Retained Site: this British 'retained site' status gave the United Kingdom the right to exercise exclusive control over the designated area in an emergency. In addition, three former RAF camps close to the airport shared facilities with UNFICYP after the Force's establishment in March 1964. The airport facilities were expanded with a new terminal building in 1968. The runways served both military and civilian aircraft, and until July 1974, Nicosia International Airport was welcoming a strong tourism trade. On 23 July, fighting between Turkish and Greek forces was especially fierce in the airport vicinity. The Force Commander at that time, General Prem Chand from India, ordered UNFICYP to take over the airport, declar ing it a United Nations Protected Area. United Nations Headquarters in New York gave its immediate approval, and, with the agreement of the local military commanders of both sides, UNFICYP troops (from Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom) occupied the airport under the conditions that the UNPA included the whole of the airport complex, including the premises of RAF Nicosia and the UN camps. Neither side was to approach within 500 metres of this perimeter. When ceasefire lines were drawn on 16 August 1974, the area declared as a United Nations Protected Area (UNPA) was included within the buffer zone. In keeping with UNFICYP's mandate to maintain the status quo, the airport has remained a United Nations Protected Area since 1974. Time and weather have led to structural deterioration to the terminal building and to the Cyprus Airways Trident Sunjet passenger plane resting beside it: the plane's engines were stripped during the crisis in 1974, and used to repair another Cyprus Airways airplane to en able the latter plane to fly out. Extensive efforts were made during 1993 and 1994 to reach an agreement on a series of confidence-building measures aimed at spurring a return to normal conditions on the island. A key element in the action was an attempt to reopen Nicosia International Airport for the equal benefit of both communities. By mid-1994, however, agreement on the measures remained beyond reach and despite further talks between both communities, the airport remains closed. Nicosia International Airport's modern terminal was designed by Germans and constructed by the Cypriot company ''Cybarco''. It was inaugurated by the late President of the Republic Archbishop Makarios III in March 1968. Modern buildings were constructed in the airport grounds while the runways and hangar were widened. The main runway was 2.958 metres long and 45 metres wide while the second was 1.825 metres long and 45 metres wide. The last figures obtained in 1973 indicate that a total of 14.717 departures and arrivals took p lace at NIC and a total of 785.564 passengers traveled to and from the airport. Only three flights took place after the Turkish invasion. Two departures involved the two remaining Cyprus Airways aircraft that needed to be evacuated from the NIC and the third departure was that of former UN Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim's aircraft following the conclusion of his visit to Cyprus. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Source: Cyprus News Agency

No Cypriots have been so far reported among the victims of the terrorist attack at a concert venue in the suburbs of Moscow, Theodoros Gotsis, Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has told CNA. Gotsis added that the Cypriot embassy in Moscow is in contact with the Russian authorities, which has so far claimed the lives of dozens of people, and left scores wounded. On March 8, the Cypriot Embassy in Moscow said in a post on X that due to information over a heightened risk for terrorist attacks in congested areas in the Russian capital Cypriots who were in Moscow should avoid visiting congested areas and gathering venues and should follow relevant announcements by the Russian authorities. Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Moscow, pointing out that "nothing justifies terror." In a post on platform X the President expressed his condolences, saying that his thoughts are with the families of the victims and their loved ones. Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cypriot MP, Elias Myrianthous, departs on Monday for Podgorica to take part in a visit of an Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO) delegation to the capital of Montenegro. A press release issued by the House of Representatives said that the IAO delegation will carry out meetings with political, state and religious officials. Myrianthous is a member of the Cypriot parliamentary delegation in the IAO and member of the IAO finance committee. In the context of the visit, the IAO volume titled 'Hagia Sophia: The Churches of the Wisdom of God around the world' and its namesake photo gallery will be presented on Thursday, March 28. The event is co-hosted by the IAO and the Radoslav Ljumovic National Library in Podgorica. Source: Cyprus News Agency

International rating agency Morningstar DBRS has confirmed Cyprus' BBB (high) long-term credit rating with a stable trend, noting that favourable economic prospects balance downside risks. 'The Stable trend balances favourable economic and fiscal developments against important downside risks,' the agency said in a press release. According to the Canada-based agency, Cyprus has registered a real GDP growth rate of 2.5% in 2023 which compares favourably with Euro area's average of just 0.4%, bolstering public finances and supporting the further reduction of Cyprus' debt-to-GDP ratio to 77.4% in end-2023. 'Cyprus' BBB (high) ratings are supported by a stable political environment, the government's sound fiscal and economic policies in recent years, and a favourable government debt profile,' the agency added. Morningstar noted that the economic outlook remains favourable, with private consumption likely to benefit from a further rebound in real wages and solid employment growth, whereas investment activity is projected to be bolstered by the inflow of Next Generation EU funds and several major investment projects particularly in the tourism and residential real estate sectors. The agency also cites the Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC) December projections that the real GDP growth will strengthen moderately to 2.6% in 2024 and 3.1% in 2025. Morningstar however pointed out that 'at the same time, the growth outlook is exposed to important downside risks such as an escalation of the military conflict in Ukraine and a prolonged disruption in trade in the Red Sea.' On the fiscal side, Morningstar noted that the general government budget surplus rose to 2.9% of GDP in 2023 from 2.4% in 2022 on the back of strong revenue growth, noting that the fiscal outlook is projected to remain favourable as public revenues are likely to benefit from still strong economic growth, as the government's draft 2024 budget published in October 2023 forecasts general government surpluses of 2.8% of GDP both in 2024 and in 2025. The agency s aid that moderate budgetary pressures are likely to emanate from the revision of the cost of living allowance which leads to a larger automatic adjustment of public sector wages and public pensions to inflation, deficits of the State Health Organization and from the expansion of KEDIPES, the state-owned asset manager, which will acquire eligible primary residences (market value below EUR 250,000) which have been used as collateral in NPLs, and to let those residences to vulnerable households. It cautioned however, that 'the materialization of economic downside risks constitutes an important risk factor for the fiscal outlook as weaker-than currently economic growth dynamics would weigh on government revenues.' With regard to Cyprus' public debt, Morningstar pointed out that the debt-to-GDP ratio continued to decline over the past year, decreasing to 77.4% of GDP in 2023, while continued budgetary surpluses and favourable debt dynamics are projected to lead to a further marked decrease in the debt ratio. 'P otential short-term funding risks are mitigated by the government's still large cash buffer that amounted to 9.5% of GDP in December 2023,' the rating agency added. On Cyprus' financial sector, Morningstar, inter alia, noted that financial stability is supported by the banking sector's strong capitalization and strong liquidity position. But it pointed out that the legacy stock of non-performing loans (NPLs) in the banking system from the 2012-2013 crisis remains a credit weakness. 'Although the NPL ratio has decreased markedly from 46.4% in December 2016 to 7.9% in December 2023 mainly due to sales and write-offs of problem loans, it is still substantially higher than in most other Euro Area economies,' the agency said. Moreover, the agency described Cyprus' political environment as stable. 'The election of Nikos Christodoulides as ?resident in February 2023 has not led to major policy changes particularly with regard to fiscal policy and the reforms embedded in Cyprus's recovery plan,' it added. Stati ng that these reforms aim to enhance the efficiency of the judicial system and of the public administration, to combat corruption, and to boost the economy's green and digital transition, the agency pointed out that 'the implementation of the plan will depend on the government's ability to garner sufficient support in parliament to pass legislation.' Concerning Cyprus' reunification talks supported by the United Nations (UN), Morningstar DBRS said it currently assumes that 'the chances of a significant breakthrough remain limited.' Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Source: Cyprus News Agency