ekathimerini.com - The Greek Letter - 3 November 2024 - Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean

 

Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean[Reuters] Constantine CapsaskisNewsletter Editor Welcome to the weekly round-up of news by Kathimerini English Edition. Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides met with United States President Joe Biden at the White House this week, with the meeting hinting at the revival of efforts to end the island’s continued occupation. In his opening remarks, President Biden stated that he is “optimistic about the possibility that a reunited Cyprus, a bizonal bicommunal federation is possible”, adding that “the United States stands ready to provide any support we can towards that goal”. The meeting also confirmed the strengthening of bilateral ties between the two countries, particularly following the decision by the US to lift its arms embargo on Cyprus in 2022. Recently, the two countries signed a defence cooperation agreement and launched a strategic dialogue between them. At a time when volatility continues to wrack the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus is likely seen as a stable partner for the US in the region. “Cyprus is a predictable and reliable partner of the United States in a region of great geopolitical importance”, emphasized Christodoulides. The meeting was particularly notable as the last White House visit by a Cypriot President was in 1996, when Glafcos Clerides met with then-president Bill Clinton. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who met with Christodoulides in Athens on Thursday, said that the meeting emphasizes the important role of Greece and Cyprus in US strategic planning in the Eastern Mediterranean, with the two countries serving a key role in maintaining regional stability. This week also saw the European Union releasing its annual report on Turkey’s accession process, in which it stated that it attaches great importance on the resumption of dialogue to resolve the occupation of Cyprus.  “The EU’s statements regarding the Cyprus issue, which unconditionally reflect Greek Cypriot positions and take no account of the inherent rights of the Turkish Cypriot people do not contribute to settlement efforts”, responded the Turkish Foreign Ministry, adding that “the EU does not possess the authority or jurisdiction to determine the borders of third countries”. Spotlight German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier conducted a three-day visit to Greece this week, which included visits to the construction site of the Holocaust Museum in Thessaloniki and the village of Kandanos which was razed by Nazi forces in 1941. “I would like to ask for your forgiveness today on behalf of Germany,” said Steinmeier at the site of the massacre, adding that even though the suffering cannot be undone “we must keep its memory alive to ensure that what happened once does not happen again”. Both President Katerina Sakellaropoulou and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis raised the issue of war reparations with Steinmeier, with the latter stating that “for us, legally, the matter is considered closed”. However, the political leaders also stressed the strong bilateral relations between the two countries. Steinmeier also visited the German Archaeological Institute of Athens, on the occasion of its 150th anniversary, and commended it for its important work.   A blast tore through an apartment in central Athens on Thursday evening, leaving one man dead and one woman seriously injured. Early hypotheses that it could be the result of a gas leak were quickly dismissed as items found pointed to the accidental detonation of an improvised explosive device that was being constructed in the apartment. Investigators also found two handguns in the apartment, along with a loaded ammunition clip, several mobile phones, and additional digital evidence. The man was identified as a 36-year-old Greek national, with police also looking for a further woman connected to the property. All suspects have an activist record and both women have links to anarchist organizations. A 31-year-old man was also arrested in connection to the case on Friday night. This incident underlines fears that there could be a resurgence of violence with the use of familiar tactics previously used by established radical organizations.

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OPINION Tom EllisEditor-in-Chief, Kathimerini English Edition The US election and Greece[Reuters] Greeks, like the rest of the world, are following the US presidential elections closely. Beyond assessing what the result will mean for America itself, the other question in peoples’ minds is obviously what a victory by either candidate will mean for Greece; “who might be better for us”. And there is no definitive answer. If Kamala Harris wins, the outlook will likely be a more stable and predictable continuation of the present approach. No major shifts from Joe Biden’s foreign policy are expected. There may be changes with respect to individuals in specific positions, but not in the principles promoted or the policies pursued. The same cannot be said of Donald Trump, who is anything but predictable. While it’s true that the former president tends to align with, and favor, working alongside authoritarian leaders—among them Tayyip Erdogan, whom he called his friend in front of Kyriakos Mitsotakis in the Oval Office—he is also a pragmatist who believes in transactional relationships that serve America’s interests, a principle he has consistently put into practice. Greece and Cyprus will need to take this dimension into account when formulating their strategy, but in essence, they should continue with the policies that they have been consistently following in recent years. Additionally, Trump’s first term, under both Alexis Tsipras and Kyriakos Mitsotakis as Greek prime ministers, was marked by excellent relations and important agreements between Athens and Washington which Trump viewed not only from a geopolitical perspective but also in terms of economic benefits for America, such as the upgrade of the Greek F-16s fleet. This, of course, means that there might also be efforts to potentially bring Turkey back into the F-35 program, provided the latter decides to align more with America’s interests. However, it is far from certain that Erdogan desires this, given his repeated and public distancing from Washington’s choices, often in quite assertive terms. In any case, one thing is clear. Regardless of who the next US president is, Greece will benefit the most if it remains the consistent, reliable ally and stabilising force in the Balkans and Eastern Mediterranean that it is today.

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ECONOMY IN A NUTSHELL

“The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 1,390.49 points, up 0.02% on a weekly basis.”

“High rates of inflation persist in Greece, with it increasing by 0.1% over the last month to 3.2%. The country’s core inflation, which excludes price changes in energy, food, alcohol, and tobacco, is particularly high at 4.3% (second highest in the eurozone).”

“The share of energy generation from renewable sources continues to rise, with RES penetration now reaching up to 60% of the domestic energy mix and investments into the sector likely to continue. However, there are also signs that continued applications for new projects have led to an oversupply with hundreds of GWh being rejected.”

WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA

04/11/2024Student walkouts: Student bodies across Greece have announced their intention to organize walkouts on Monday to protest the alleged inaction of the Education Ministry. 06/11/2024Air Force celebrations: In the run-up to the celebration of its patron saint, the Hellenic Air Force, as it does annually, will hold a series of events, including opening several air bases to the public. 08/11/2024Fidan in Athens: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will visit Athens and meet with counterpart Georgos Gerapetritis. 08/11/2024SYRIZA party conference: Main opposition party SYRIZA will host its party conference, widely expected to be a volatile affair, ahead of its leadership election later this month.

Editor's PickChristodoulides, who is seen by some as a “hardliner” on the national issue, has shown himself to be a realist and, ultimately, for all practical purposes, effective.Tom EllisRead the article

PODCAST

31/10/2024 • 09:27Searching for the remains of Greek soldiers who perished in the mountains of AlbaniaEarlier this week Greeks around the world celebrated “No Day,” the day 84 years ago that saw Greece reject the ultimatums of Italy’s Mussolini. The heroics of the Greek army during World War II are well known, as they showed occupied Europe that the Axis was not invincible. Today, however, I want to focus on another side of this story, and that’s the ongoing search for the remains of Greek soldiers who perished as the Greek army pushed the Italians back, many of them buried in the mountains of Albania. Yiannis Papadopoulos, a journalist with Kathimerini and author of a recent report highlighting this issue, joins Thanos Davelis to look into this story, which remains an open wound for the relatives of these soldiers.

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