The National Council, the top advisory body to the President on the Cyprus issue, held a meeting on Wednesday under President of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, to discuss measures and its response on any possible announcements that the Turkish President may make on the fenced off area of Famagusta (Varosha) during his illegal visit to the Turkish occupied ares on July 20th..
Government Spokesman Marios Pelekanos said after the four hour long meeting, that the President of the Republic briefed the political party leaders and all other participants on all actions taken by the government since the informal Cyprus meeting in Geneva in late April for the resumption of negotiations for Cyprus and on the Turkish provocations and threats regarding Famagusta, in view of the forthcoming illegal visit of the President of Turkey to the occupied areas of Cyprus.
The National Council meeting took place in the presence of President of the House of Representatives Annita Demetriou, Attorney General Savvas Aggelides and Famagusta Mayor Simos Ioannou.
Pelekanos said that they agreed that the National Council will convene again depending on developments during the Turkish President`s illegal visit to the occupied areas, but did not elaborate on the measures that will be announced as a response to Erdogan`s announcements.
Meanwhile, Famagusta Mayor Simos Ioannou said that right now what counts is Famagusta and the whole of Cyprus, noting that this is the most difficult turning point of the Cyprus problem.
“It is very difficult for the talks to resume and there is the issue of the enclosed area of Famagusta. If Erdogan announces the return of the legal Greek Cypriot residents under Turkish administration this will cause confusion, and division among the people of Famagusta” he stressed.
“If we lose that part then the whole of Cyprus will be lost, along with anything that has to do with the territory chapter and the solution of the Cyprus problem”, he stressed.
The Mayor said that steps are being taken even right now by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He said that the President of the Republic, the Foreign Minister and the political parties have all sent letters explaining the situation but noted that the climate is disappointing and attributed it to the great economic interests that many countries have with Turkey.
Concluding, he said that nobody knows exactly what the Turkish President will announce on the 20th of July, and expressed hope that it will be something else and not what they fear of.
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.
On October 8, 2020, the Turkish side opened part of the fenced area of Varosha, following an announcement made in Ankara on October 6. Both the UN Secretary-General and the EU expressed concern, while the UN Security Council called for the reversal of this course of action.
Source: Cyprus news Agency