London: Finding a just and sustainable solution to the Cyprus problem is not only a necessary condition for restoring human rights, but also a crucial factor for stability and peace in the wider Eastern Mediterranean region. This was the central message of an event for Famagusta held earlier this week at the UK Parliament at the initiative of the Famagusta Association of the United Kingdom, headed by its President Vasilis Mavrou, in cooperation with British MP Bob Blackman.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the event was attended by British MPs, Lords, diplomats, and representatives of the Cypriot diaspora. Speakers highlighted, among other things, Turkey’s violations of UN resolutions and the lack of genuine willingness to comply. Members of the UK Parliament once again condemned the Turkish occupation of a large part of Cyprus, the continued presence of Turkish troops on the island, and the denial of refugees’ right to return to their homes. They also stressed the importance of further raising international awareness of the Cyprus issue.
In his address, Mavrou gave an extensive historical overview of Turkish claims even before the independence of the Republic of Cyprus. He referred to ‘the systematic undermining of relations between the two communities through the introduction of Turkish nationalism,’ as he described it, and spoke about the hostilities of the 1960s, the 1974 invasion, the displacement of nearly 200,000 Greek Cypriots, and the severe cultural destruction, including the looting of churches, monasteries, and Christian monuments.
He made particular reference to Turkey’s illegal actions in the closed-off area of Famagusta, which he stressed are contrary to Security Council resolutions. Mavrou also denounced settlement plans, illegal constructions on Greek Cypriot land, and the systematic ‘vandalism of Christian worship venues in Famagusta and Karpasia,’ as he said.
At the same time, he spoke of a ‘second invasion’ in Cyprus’s Exclusive Economic Zone saying that Turkey systematically violates the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus at sea. He expressed the Cypriot people’s disappointment over the non-implementation of UN resolutions and the “absence of meaningful steps” by the United Kingdom, as a guarantor power.
In closing, the President of the Famagusta Association called on the British government to take a more active role, even through the imposition of sanctions on Turkey, in order to ensure the implementation of international law, the withdrawal of occupation forces, and the safe return of refugees.
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.