Nicosia Uncut - Island Talks

Nicosia Uncut – Episode 54: July is the month of Cyprob (1/7/2024)

After a short break, Nicosia Uncut is back with Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykalli discussing the recent attempts of UN envoy Maria Angela Holguin with the Cypriot leaders. There isn't a lot of hope for a breakthrough for ther resumption of talks but are we going to see any result at all? A confidence building measure maybe? In the meantime, the UN bureaucracts and diplomats involved in the Cyprus problem are busy putting the last marks on the UN Secretary General's reports, for good offices and the UNFICYP, to the Security Council. Regional politics, NATO prospects for Cyprus, EU…

Nicosia Uncut – Episode 53: Special guest Fiona Mullen: How can we revitalize the solution process ? (6/3/2023)

In this episode of Nicosia Uncut; Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykalli host Fiona Mullen, Director of Sapienta Economics and the producer of Figure It podcast. Fiona has been studying, advising and in the past working on the Cyprus settlement process for more than two decades now. In this episode, they discuss what needs to be done to revitalize the Cyprus peace process, the challenges of new envoy Maria Holguin Cuellar is facing and why the international community needs to get involved to support the process. Fiona suggests that existing structures and parameters of the process have certain challenges which…

Nicosia Uncut – Episode 52: Million dollar question: What is Holguin’s endgame? (1/2/2024)

UN Secretary General's Personal Envoy on Cyprus Maria Angela Holguín Cuéllar has arrived on the island and started her work by paying a visit to the Cypriot leaders. This new initiative to revive the talks, which collapsed in Crans Montana conference in 2017, is defined as an attempt to find a "common ground" for the formal talks to start. In this episode of Nicosia Uncut, Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykalli question the endgame of this new initiative as there is no sign for the sides to shift their diametrically opposed positions. Supported by Turkey, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar…

Nicosia Uncut – Episode 51: Is there light at the end of the tunnel? (10/12/2023)

Turkish-Greek reapproachment, appointment of a new envoy for Cyprus talks, ongoing failure of the international community to address burning issues in the world and establishment of a new political party in Cyprus. In this last episode of the year, Nicosia Uncut producers Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykalli look back to 2023 with a critical eye. The year is ending with new developments, so they can't help but ask if there is light at the end of the tunnel for Cyprus.

Nicosia Uncut – Episode 50: Frozen! (14/11/2023)

Is Cyprus a "frozen" conflict? What are the risk of it getting melted? As the so called frozen and fluid conflicts turning into active conflicts everywhere in the world, shouldn't Cypriots be worried? What are the lessons the Cypriots and the international community take from the ongoing conflics in Ukraine, Nogorno Karabakh and Israel/Palestine? In this episode of Nicosia Uncut, Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykalli discuss the lessons we should be getting from the latest crisis in Israel/Palestine; the failure of collective security mechanisms of international community and the erosion of international principles with the recent developments. What can…

Nicosia Uncut – Episode 49: Status-quo in Cyprus is an illusion (21/8/2023)

The UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus has been attacked by the Turkish Cypriot police in the buffer zone close to Pyla village during an ongoing work of fixing a road to connect the bicommunal village to the Turkish Cypriot controlled areas. While the Turkish & Turkish Cypriot side citing humanitarian reasons, the international community as well as the permanent members of the Security Councils, barring Russia, condemned the attack. In this episode of Nicosia Uncut, Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykallı discuss the developments and underline that there is no-such thing as status-quo without a settlement. Against the background, the…

Nicosia Uncut – Episode 48: Drowning in elections – CyProb anyone? (31/5/2023)

We are drowned in elections. Elections in Turkey, Greece and Cyprus. Do we have any time or window of opportunity to discuss politics - Cyprus problem in particular? In this episode of Nicosia Uncut, Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykallı evaluate the results of elections in Turkey and Greece as well as the upcoming by-elections in the north. CBMs, local politics, and DISY's and AKEL's initiatives in the Cyprob.

Nicosia Uncut – Episode 47: Age of apolitical & discussion on unilateral CBMs in CY (30/4/2023)

Nicos Christodoulides met with Menelaos Menelaou and members of the technical committees to discuss possible initiatives.

It has been 20 years since the crossings across the division line in Cyprus started. It is clear that the existing crossings are not enough. Should we expect unilareral initiatives by the Greek Cypriot side on this? While the elections in Turkey are underway, is it possible to talk about a new era for the Cyprus problem? Depolitization of political parties, critical look to the political scene on the island, by-elections in the north, first diplomatic test of the new DISY leader and new developments in the saga of natural resources around Cyprus. Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykalli discuss…

Nicosia Uncut – Episode 46: Turkish opposition chooses the candidate to challenge Erdoğan (19/3/2023)

Election in Cyprus is over as Turkey is now on the eve of the historical election that will take place on 14 May 2023. In this episode of Nicosia Uncut, Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykallı discuss the cabinet of the newly elected Greek Cypriot president. Turkish opposition finally agreed on their candidate: CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu will be challenging Erdoğan. The mayors of Istanbul and Ankara will support his campaign together with the other opposition leaders. Back in Cyprus, DISY has elected Annita Demetriou, speaker of the House of Representatives, as the new party leader.

Nicosia Uncut – Episode 45: Nikos Christodoulides is the new president of RoC. What now? (17/2/2023)

While the Turkish Cypriots are mourning for 49 members of their community, including the entire members of two junior volleyball school teams from Famagusta, who lost their lives in the major earthquake that hit Turkey; second round of presidential campaign has been concluded on the other side of the divide. Nikos Christodoulides has been elected as the new president of Republic of Cyprus, defeating his opponent Andreas Mavroyiannis 52% - 48% in the second round. In this episode of Nicosia Uncut, Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykalli discuss the responses of both communities to this massive trauma Turkish Cypriots are…