Page 30 - bon-dia-aruba-20211215

A30 world news
Diaranson 15 December 2021

Virus and migrant worries spur EU to toughen border rules

Commission Vice-President ing people to Belarus, many
Margaritis Schinas said. of them Iraqis, promising Fast-track deportations
to help them get into Eu- would be permitted for those
“This is a balanced, necessary rope through the country’s not allowed in.
step. It’s not the end of the borders with Lithuania, Po-
story but it’s enough to keep land and Latvia. It was seen To stop member countries
Schengen intact,” Schinas as revenge by the man once imposing ad-hoc border
told reporters in Strasbourg, dubbed Europe’s last dictator checks between each other
France, as he unveiled the after the EU hit Belarus with inside the Schengen travel
proposals, which must be en- sanctions over reported elec- zone, temporary controls
dorsed by EU countries and tion fraud and a crackdown could be reintroduced for
lawmakers to take effect. on peaceful democratic pro- health or security threats for
testers. six months, which could be
The Schengen travel zone renewed for up to two years.
system has been on the verge To tighten the EU’s outside
of collapse since 2015, when borders in emergencies, the Countries would have to
well over 1 million people bloc’s executive branch, the provide an impact assessment
entered the EU without au- European Commission, is justifying the renewal. The
(AP) — The Europe- Switzerland. The removal of thorization, mostly Syrians proposing to temporarily ease commission, which proposes
an Union on Tuesday border checks between them seeking refuge from war. A asylum norms when an out- EU laws and supervises the
launched a major revamp has been a boon for business, series of extremist attacks in side country pushes migrants way they are applied, would
of the rules governing the trade and travel. France, Belgium and Germa- toward Europe or actively have to approve any exten-
movement of people and ny also saw countries tighten encourages them to come, as sion beyond 18 months.
goods into and around Almost 1.7 million people their border controls. Belarus is accused of doing.
Europe as coronavirus re- live in one Schengen country Six countries in the zone have
strictions and fears over a and work in another, while Things got even worse in ear- The number of border cross- kept border checks in place
“hybrid attack” from Be- an estimated 3.5 million peo- ly 2020 when the pandemic ings where people register for the last six years renew-
larus using migrants are ple cross an internal border hit. At least 17 countries in for asylum could be reduced. ing them every six months
placing increasing strains every day. the Schengen zone reintro- The registration of applica- to circumvent rules that they
on its passport-free travel duced checks in the panic, tions could be delayed for should not be permanent.
area. “The refugee crisis of 2015, causing traffic and supply four weeks, instead of 10 days That includes France, which
the spate of terrorists attacks chain chaos. currently. People could be has continually had border
The Schengen area com- on European soil and the held in temporary shelters at controls for security reasons
prises 26 countries — includ- global COVID-19 pandemic More recently, Belarus Presi- the border for up to 16 weeks since the deadly 2015 terror
ing non-EU nations Iceland, have all put the Schengen dent Alexander Lukashenko’s while their applications are attacks in Paris.
Liechtenstein, Norway and area under strain,” European government began invit- processed.

Egypt backs federal peace deal for ethnically split Cyprus

(AP) — Egypt’s foreign Cyprus’ statehood and says The meeting is billed primar- tween the two leaders in the
minister on Tuesday re- Cyprus was split in 1974 that much of the sea around ily as a social event geared absence of formal talks.
buffed a Turkish push for when Turkey invaded follow- the island where the Cypriot toward breaking the ice be-
a two-state peace deal on ing a coup aiming at union government claims exclusive
ethnically divided Cy- with Greece. Only Turkey economic rights falls within
prus, saying that any talks recognizes a Turkish Cypriot its own continental shelf.
should adhere to a U.N.- declaration of independence
backed road map reuni- in the island’s north where The Turkish government
fying the east Mediter- it keeps more than 35,000 says a “unilateral” Greek Cy-
ranean island nation as a troops. priot bid to carry out drilling
federation. off its shores ignores its rights
Turkey and the breakaway — and those of Turkish Cy-
Egyptian Foreign Minister Turkish Cypriots insist that a priots — to the region’s po-
Sameh Shoukry said after two-state deal is the only fea- tential energy reserves.
talks with his Cypriot coun- sible alternative after nearly
terpart that regional chal- a half-century of failed talks The Cypriot government
lenges need to be countered aimed at a forging a fed- says Turkish claims contra-
based on international law eration made up of separate vene international law and
instead of “aggressive activi- Turkish Cypriot and Greek the island’s sovereign rights.
ties or expansionist tenden- Cypriot zones.
cies.” Peace talks have been at a
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin standstill since the last bid
Shoukry’s remarks indirectly Tatar said a prerequisite to to reach at an reunification
targeted Turkey, which Cy- reviving stalled peace talks is agreement collapsed in the
prus accuses of supporting a the recognition of the break- summer of 2017.
peace deal that would serve away Turkish Cypriot state
its policy goal of exerting its as a legitimate legal entity on Colin Stewart, the new head
control over the east Medi- par with the internationally of the U.N. peacekeeping
terranean. recognized Cyprus Republic. mission on Cyprus, will host
Tatar and the island’s Greek
Cypriot Foreign Minister Greek Cypriots fear a two- Cypriot President Nicos
Nikos Christodoulides said state deal would entrench Anastasiades at an informal
that he conveyed to Shoukry Turkish control potentially reception on Tuesday at an
his government’s “deep con- over the entire island as well abandoned hotel inside a
cern regarding Turkey’s in- as hydrocarbon deposits off U.N. controlled buffer zone
creasingly revisionist and de- its shores. that cuts through the capital
stabilizing foreign policy” in Nicosia.
the region. Turkey doesn’t recognize