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View of the military zone around Varosha
Photo: LAURA BOUSHNAK / AFP
The announcement by the Turkish Cypriot authorities to partially reopen the deserted city of Varosha, located in the military zone, has met with fierce international criticism. This step is clearly incompatible with resolutions of the UN Security Council, according to a message from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The plans promoted by the Turkish head of state Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also called the government in Nicosia into action - it wants to involve the UN Security Council.
On Tuesday, Northern Cyprus announced that it would open part of the coastal settlement of Varosha, once inhabited by Greek Cypriots, whose Turkish name is Mafras. The place has been a restricted military area since the division of Cyprus. UN resolutions provide for it to be returned to its rightful owners who fled from there in 1974 after the Turkish military intervention in Cyprus. North Cyprus is recognized worldwide only by Turkey as a state and acts in the conflict with the backing of Ankara. "A new era will begin in Maras from which everyone will benefit," said Erdoğan, who visited Northern Cyprus on Tuesday.
Turkey insists on a two-state solution for the island, which has been divided since 1974.
The northern part of Turkey is recognized by Turkey as a separate state, but not by the United Nations.
The south is a member of the European Union as a separate Republic of Cyprus.
EU foreign policy representative Josep Borrell also expressed concern about what had happened.
"(The) unilateral decision announced today by President Erdoğan and (Turkish Cypriot President Ersin Tatar) risks increasing tensions on the island and jeopardizing the return to talks on a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue," he tweeted.
The federal government was also concerned.
"Unilateral steps by Turkey are anything but helpful," said a spokesman for the Foreign Office.
This made the resumption of the Cyprus talks difficult.
as / Reuters / dpa / AFP
