Nicosia Uncut – Episode 55: A dinner, but hardly a date (7/10/2024)

The two Cypriot leaders have agreed to meet for a "social dinner" at the presence of the UN Secretary General. The expectations are low as sides have shown no signs of departure from their respective positions. While the Turkish Cypriot side is adamant on their so called "two states" position, which is vocally and openly supported by the Turkish government, the Greek Cypriot side has been consistent expressing their commirment to a bicommunal, bizonal federation as stipulated by the numerous UN resoutions. The negative developments in the Middle East is regarded as a distracting factor for the attempts to…

Continue ReadingNicosia Uncut – Episode 55: A dinner, but hardly a date (7/10/2024)

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…

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

Figure It – Episode 11 (Energy Series 2): East Med Energy and the Cyprus problem: why it is in the EU’s strategic security interests to get involved (8/2/2024)

In this 11th episode of Figure It and the second in a series of episodes devoted to energy, Sapienta Economics Director Fiona Mullen talks to Ahmet Sözen, a Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) and a veritable ‘ideas factory’ when it comes to new approaches to the Cyprus problem. Prof Sözen is also part of the Eastern Mediterranean Initiative of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) and has recently produced papers with Diplomeds on Eastern Mediterranean energy issues. In this episode we discuss the proposals put forward in these papers, such “engagement without recognition”…

Continue ReadingFigure It – Episode 11 (Energy Series 2): East Med Energy and the Cyprus problem: why it is in the EU’s strategic security interests to get involved (8/2/2024)

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…

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

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.

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

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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…

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

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.

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

Nicosia Uncut – Episode 43: Sleepwalking towards destruction – civil society is resisting (17/11/2022)

Read more about the article Nicosia Uncut – Episode 43: Sleepwalking towards destruction – civil society is resisting (17/11/2022)
Turkish Cypriots marching against 'külliye' (campus with the new palace, assembly buildings and a mosque). The banners read: No külliye but hospital and no külliye but school.

In this episode of Nicosia Uncut, Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykallı criticize the political establishments on both sides of the divide and highlight the efforts of the civil society to resist partition. Political establishments on the both sides of the divide fail to address the division of the country while the forces of status quo are deepening the divide. Civil society and citizen initiatives are working tirelessly, albeit in limited capacity, to work to bring people together across the divide. The Turkish Cypriot leadership, now fully aligned with the Turkish government, is unpleasantly consistent in their rhetoric and actions…

Continue ReadingNicosia Uncut – Episode 43: Sleepwalking towards destruction – civil society is resisting (17/11/2022)

Decode Cyprus – Episode 5: Decoding the presidential campaign (2/10/2022)

Cypriot journalists Lefteris Adilinis and Esra Aygın provide an informative analysis on candidates and their strategies in the presidential elections of Republic of Cyprus, 2023. While former Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides continues to lead the polls; Andreas Mavrogiannis and Averof Neofithou, of AKEL and DISY respectively, trail behind. Other independent candidates are searching ways to unite their forces under a single candidate. We are fast approaching toward the end of 2022 and there seems to be a general belief that no candidate will secure enough votes to pull the plug in the first round.

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Nicosia Uncut – Episode 41: Battle over the records of failed talks (14/8/2022)

It is now crystal clear that solution of the Cyprus problem was actually within the reach during 2016 and 2017 summits, it took five years for the Greek Cypriot politics to question the Greek Cypriot leadership's share of responsibility in the failure. While the establishment is fighting the last ditch battle to save Anastasiades and his team from any responsibility by throwing leaked minutes one after another to support their line of interpretation, every new statement from the negotiation team members, every leaked document prove otherwise. In this episode of Nicosia Uncut, Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykallı question how the leading mainstream media organ is acting like a mouthpiece and a shield instead of carrying out their journalistic duties. While the battle over the records of failed talks is far from over, no presidential candidate seem to offer a realistic strategy on how to resume the talks to solve the Cyprus problem. On the other side of the divide Tatar is under fire, once more, for attending the ceremony of the fifth Islamic Games, taking place in Turkey, while the Turkish Cypriot athletes were not allowed to compete.

Continue ReadingNicosia Uncut – Episode 41: Battle over the records of failed talks (14/8/2022)