Nicosia: Thursday's visit by the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhrman to the Anthropological Laboratory of the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) signifies a clear expression of support for the Committee's ongoing work, Leonidas Pantelides, representative of the Greek Cypriot community in the CMP, informed CNA on Friday.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the visit did not aim to secure specific developments but served as a supportive gesture towards the CMP. Pantelides highlighted that such gestures help in various indirect ways, such as encouraging witnesses to speak, facilitating cooperation with authorities, and assisting with donor relations. This level of political support provides the CMP with the necessary space to tackle the challenging tasks ahead.
Pantelides further mentioned that while no immediate changes are expected regarding access points or additional information, the public support from political leaders is beneficial in dealing with various stakeholders. He detailed ongoing excavations, explaining that there are typically 8 or 9 active sites, with efforts split between free and occupied areas. By the end of the month, the CMP anticipates completing around 130 excavations, with a success rate of approximately 10%.
The Committee faces challenges due to less reliable information compared to the early stages of the program, and while the easier cases have been resolved, the CMP remains committed to examining all available information. Looking ahead, the CMP plans to continue its work with hopes for increased success and efficiency.
Pantelides noted that during the leaders' visit, no specific requests were made by the Greek Cypriot side. However, a private meeting between President Christodoulides and Mr. Erhrman took place, and discussions on ways to strengthen the CMP might have occurred. The inclusion of two paragraphs on the CMP in the joint communiqu© was seen as a positive and supportive gesture.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 following the Turkish invasion, resulting in the ongoing issue of missing persons. The CMP was established to exhume, identify, and return the remains of missing individuals from the inter-communal conflicts of 1963-1964 and 1974. As of September 30, 2025, the CMP reported exhuming 1,707 individuals out of 2,002 missing persons, with 1,057 identified. Among Greek Cypriots, 761 out of 1,510 missing persons have been identified, while 296 out of 492 Turkish Cypriots have been identified.