Nicosia-Sana
The Cypriot government lodged an official protest with the United Nations and the European Union yesterday against the Turkish regime's decision to open and resettle part of the Varosha resort in Famagusta, in the Turkish-occupied part of northern Cyprus, stressing that this step shows Ankara's intention to seize the city.
The Turkish army has occupied the northern part of Cyprus since 1974, when it invaded the north of the island and established the "Republic of Northern Cyprus", which is recognized only by Ankara. International criticism.
Agence France-Presse quoted the Cypriot government as saying in a statement that it will inform the five permanent members of the UN Security Council of this clear violation of the council's resolutions, which forbid imposing any change in Varosha's status and calls for its return to its original inhabitants.
Yesterday, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar announced the partial reopening of Varosha for "possible resettlement".
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades stressed that this step was "illegal and unacceptable" and said: "I want to send the strongest message to Erdogan and his local proxies that Turkey's unacceptable measures and demands will not be accepted."
Anastasiades added: "If Turkey's real concern was to return the property to its legal owners, it should have adopted United Nations resolutions and handed over the city to the United Nations and allowed them to return in safe conditions."
In turn, the Greek Foreign Ministry condemned the move "in the strongest terms", while Britain, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, said it was "deeply concerned" and would urgently discuss this issue with other council members.
A spokesman for the ministry said: "Britain calls on all parties not to take any measures that undermine the Cyprus settlement process or increase tension on the island."
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also stressed in a tweet on Twitter that "the unilateral decision announced by Erdogan and the Turkish Cypriot leader risks raising tensions on the island and undermining a return to talks on a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue."
He added that the European Union is still fully committed to the final goal of a comprehensive settlement, which is the reunification of the two parts of the island of Cyprus and supports the involvement of the Security Council in this issue, pointing out that Cyprus is a member of the European Union while Turkey is not.
The United States also criticized the Turkish decision and said... that it "considers the actions of the Turkish Cypriots in Varosha, with the support of Ankara, to be unacceptable and inconsistent with the pledges they previously made to engage in settlement talks constructively."
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called on Ankara to reverse this decision.
UN resolutions call for Varosha to be handed over to UN administration and to allow people to return home.
