Mayor of Famagusta, Simos Ioannou, said on Friday that the announcements that the fact tat the illegal regime in the Turkish occupied Cyprus will proceed to the opening of public and municipal buildings in the fenced off area of Varosha, constitutes a continuation of Turkey’s provocative and illegal actions in Varosha, which violate the status quo and UN Security Council resolutions.
Following the new statements, the Municipality has requested meetings with the Ambassadors of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.
In statements to CNA, Ioannou said that on the occasion of the anniversary of the illegal declaration of the pseudo-state in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus and the two years since the opening of part of the fenced off area, it seems that the regime is preparing to make new announcements, speculating that they will renovate some public or municipal buildings, such as the municipal market, located on Evagorou Avenue, or other buildings and municipal schools, which are located at the beginning of the enclosed area.
Saying that the regime aims to continue what they started two years ago, he said that they definitely want to exploit the area, for now only for tourism and to bring financial benefit to the pseudo-state and then to colonize the area by building tourist units and similar facilities , in cooperation with companies in Turkey.
The Mayor added that regarding the 3.5% pilot area where legitimate owners could return, nothing has been done yet.
The Municipality of Famagusta, Ioannou said, has requested – following the new statements about Varosha-, meetings with the Ambassadors of the countries of the five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council, and they have already received a positive response from the French Ambassador. They will also have a meeting with the Slovak Ambassador at his own request, he added.
On October 23, a delegation from the Municipality of Famagusta will travel to London where they will have contacts at the Foreign Office and the House of Commons, where the annual event will take place, organised by the association of the people of Famagusta in the United Kingdom. Ioannou said that more meetings are possible during their stay in London.
The Mayor said that a delegation of the Municipality will travel to Brussels, in consultation with the MEPs, for a visit that will be under the auspices of the President of the European Parliament. He said that they will also ask the state to take the necessary actions. In addition, he said that they have prepared and will send a letter to the Council of Europe following the decision of the Committee of Ministers of the Council on the case of Greek Cypriot refugee Titina Loizidou and how this affects the cases concerning Varosha. “Because if there is a violation in this area as well, then it means that Turkey will be completely free to do whatever it wants.”
Invited to comment on the Turkish Cypriot leader’s announcement that tomorrow, on the two-year anniversary of the opening of the closed area of Varosha, they will give a gift to the person who passes at 12 noon exactly, the Mayor of Famagusta said “it is ridiculous in a politically civilized world. These things don’t happen. They are provocative,” adding that they want to give the impression that they are the ones dominating in the area and not the legal residents.
The people of Famagusta, he said, are disappointed but they are also determined to continue the struggle for justice for all Cypriots.
The fenced off area, he said, makes up only 16% of the entire municipal boundaries of Famagusta and there are areas there today, which have the same fate as Kyrenia, Lapithos, Karavas, there are settlers and there is development.
“Saving the fenced off area, which is supported by relevant UNSC resolutions, there is a possibility to save the rest of Famagusta as well.”
If the territory issue is lost, everything will be lost, he concluded.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Varosha, the fenced off section of the Turkish occupied town of Famagusta, is often described as a ‘ghost town’.
UN Security Council resolution 550 (1984) considers any attempts to settle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible and calls for the transfer of this area to the administration of the UN. UN Security Council resolution 789 (1992) also urges that with a view to the implementation of resolution 550 (1984), the area at present under the control of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus be extended to include Varosha.
The Turkish Cypriot leadership announced in July 2021 a partial lifting of the military status in Varosha. A few months earlier, on October 8, 2020, the Turkish side opened part of the fenced area of Varosha, following an announcement made in Ankara on October 6. The UN Security Council called for the reversal of this course of action, while the UN Secretary General, in his latest report on his mission of good offices in Cyprus, reiterated his concern over developments in the fenced-off area, noting that the position of the UN on Varosha remains unchanged. The EU also expressed grave concern.
Source: Cyprus News Agency