Nicosia Uncut

In this episode of Nicosia Uncut; Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykallı discuss the internal and external political motives of Turkey when it comes to the Cyprus problem on the eve of Turkish President Erdoğan's visit to Varosha. They also elaborated on the rather ineffective response of the Greek Cypriot leadership to the developments; how Turkish Cypriots are now by-passed with the new Turkish Cypriot leadership and failing Turkish Cypriot minority coalition.

The post Nicosia Uncut – Episode 26: Analysing Turkey’s motives and the Greek Cypriot response (5/7/2021) first appeared on Island Talks.

In this episode of Nicosia Uncut, Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykallı analyse the outcome of Republic of Cyprus parliamentary election result. A total of 366,608 out of 557,836 registered voters or 65.72% have voted. The abstention amounted to 191,228 votes or 34.28%. The parties that entered 56 seated parliament are Democratic Rally (DISY) 27.77% - 17 seats; Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL) 22.34% - 15 seats, Democratic Party (DIKO) 11.29% - 9 seats, National Popular Front (ELAM) 6.78% - 4 seats; Movement for Social Democracy (EDEK) 6.72% - 4 seats; Democratic Front (DIPA) 6.10% - 4 seats; and Cyprus Green Party 4.41% - 3 seats.

The post Nicosia Uncut – Episode 25: Election special episode (1/6/2021) first appeared on Island Talks.

In this episode of Nicosia Uncut, Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykallı respond to the feedback they have received to their recent episodes. The questions and feedback include the relations between corruption and division; role of the United Nations and the European Union in the Cyprus peace process; and what they needed to do in order to contribute to the peace process more positively.

On the lighter side, it is the Bayram episode, so Kemal talks about his favourite Cypriot Bayram desert: Tel kadeyifi

The post Nicosia Uncut – Episode 24: Responding to our listeners’ feedback (15/5/2021) first appeared on Island Talks.

Informal 5+1 conference on Cyprus, with the participation of two Cypriot sides and three guarantor powers as well as the UN, ended with failure at the UN headquarters in Geneva. Positions of the sides were not bridgeable and the UN Secretary General announced his intention to gather sides once more for another informal summit. Nicosia Uncut producers Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykallı provides a critical analysis of the process and try to answer the quetion: "What's next?"

The post Nicosia Uncut – Episode 23: Discussing the 5+1 Geneva failure and next day scenarios for Cyprus (3/5/2021) first appeared on Island Talks.

In this episode we have had a special guest. Retired Ambassador Selim Kuneralp served in the Turkish foreign ministry for more than 40 years at various high-level positions and in this episode he answered our questions regarding the latest developments in the Cyprus problem, regional & global politics and shared his personal assessments on the relevant topics.

It was a real pleasure to host such a refined diplomat in our podcast and we feel obligated to remind our listeners that, needless to say, Mr.Kuneralp addressed our discussion topics on his personal behalf, and not on behalf of any country or office he held in the past or present.

The post Nicosia Uncut – Episode 22: Discussing CYprob, global politics with our special guest: Retired Ambassador Selim Kuneralp (23/4/2021) first appeared on Island Talks.

Today’s episode is special as Nicosia Uncut produers Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykallı are hosting Dr. Sertaç Sonan, one of the academics behind a survey titled: “Politics and Society in North Cyprus” and published by Friedrich Ebert Foundation. The report focused on the differences and similarities between native Turkish Cypriots and Turkish immigrants who came […]

The post Nicosia Uncut – Episode 21: Special guest – Dr.Sertaç Sonan on their survey on political culture in northern Cyprus (6/4/2021) first appeared on Island Talks.

Podcasting from both sides of the divide in Nicosia-Cyprus, Andromachi Sophocleous & Kemal Baykallı are producing the popular politics podcast - Nicosia Uncut. In this episode, they discuss the conclusions of the latest EU Council meeting and provide a background in the global and regional politics. While the new US Administration is trying to restore the American foreign policy around containing Russia, Turkish-American relations are likely to face various tests including the one in the East Med. Europeans are still lacking a coherent and unified foreign policy, a gap that might be filled by post-Trump USA. Cyprus, however, is still a chip in the bigger game. As the date for the informal 5+1 summit on Cyprus is fast approaching, Nicosia Uncut producers discuss various scenarios for the meeting that will take place between 27-29 April in Geneva.

The post Nicosia Uncut – Episode 20: EU Council conclusions, US-TR relations, carrots & sticks (27/3/2021) first appeared on Island Talks.

In this slightly extended and longer version of Nicosia Uncut, Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykallı explain how the internationals are now in the driving seat of the Cyprus solution process. Strategic power games in the Eastern Mediterranean as well as corruption scandals, mass protests, mismanagement and decreasing legitimacy of administrations on both sides of the divide are unfolding in parallel with the attempts to put the Cyprus solution process back on its track with the upcoming 5+1 conference that will take place in Geneva between 27-29 April 2021.

The post Nicosia Uncut – Episode 19: Internationals lead the way in CYprob amidst protests in domestic politics (11/3/2021) first appeared on Island Talks.

Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykallı discuss Cyprus problem ahead of the informal 5+1 conference: expected strategy, basic assumptions, diplomatic leaks, involvement of the internationals, and how corruption is affecting the course of the peace process in Cyprus. Before 2004, the Cyprus solution process was mainly driven by the international community. Following the rejection of the […]

The post Nicosia Uncut – Episode 18: Could constructive ambiguity save or ruin the day? (9/2/2021) first appeared on Island Talks.