Nicosia: The President of the Republic has placed the issues of the missing persons, the fallen, their relatives, prisoners of war, the displaced, the enclaved, among his highest priorities, Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Cyprus and Head of Humanitarian Affairs for Missing Persons and the Enclaved of the Republic of Cyprus, Anna Aristotelous, has said. Addressing an event in memory and honour of the fallen and missing persons of Palaikythro, a village occupied by Turkey since the invasion of Cyprus in 1974, she stressed that the state has the duty to support the relatives of the missing and fallen and to strengthen identification efforts.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Aristotelous emphasized that President Nikos Christodoulides has prioritized the issues concerning the missing, the fallen, their relatives, prisoners of war, the disabled of war, the displaced, the enclaved, and the ones who resettled. She noted that specific actions have been undertaken, yielding significant results through the Republic of Cyprus’s program. The investigation into the fate of the missing is seen as an act of responsibility, honour, and humanity for their relatives.
Aristotelous highlighted the President’s ongoing efforts for the liberation and reunification of Cyprus, utilizing all possible means and opportunities to resume dialogue for a resolution based on the agreed framework and United Nations Security Council resolutions, along with European Union principles. Recent developments, such as appointing Special Envoys for the Cyprus problem by the United Nations and the European Commission, confirm the correct direction of Cyprus’s aspirations and strategies.
Despite opposition from Turkey, the occupying force, Aristotelous noted that coordinated efforts have resulted in renewed mobility in the peace process. She referenced Palaikythro as a community heavily impacted during the second phase of the Turkish invasion in August 1974, with 14 missing persons, ten identified, and 19 fallen, 16 identified. The casualties included elderly individuals, soldiers, unarmed civilians, children, and infants.
The state is committed to supporting the relatives of the missing and fallen, strengthening identification efforts, demanding access to critical information, and keeping their memory alive. Cyprus remains divided since the 1974 invasion and occupation of its northern third by Turkey. UN-led peace talks have yet to yield results due to Turkish intransigence, with the latest negotiations ending inconclusively in July 2017.
A Committee on Missing Persons was established to exhume, identify, and return to their relatives the remains of missing Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots from the inter-communal fighting of 1963-1964 and 1974. As of February 28, statistical data from the CMP website indicates that 1,704 out of 2,002 missing persons were exhumed and 1,052 identified. Among the Greek Cypriots, 756 were identified, with 754 still missing, while 296 Turkish Cypriots were identified, leaving 196 still missing.
The UN Secretary General announced an informal meeting on Cyprus at the end of July, following a similar meeting in Geneva. The two sides agreed to initiatives, including opening crossing points and creating a Technical Committee on Youth. UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres appointed Mara Angela Holgun Cu©llar as his Personal Envoy on Cyprus to reengage with parties and advise on next steps. The European Commission designated Johannes Hahn as Special Envoy for Cyprus to aid the settlement process.