The Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the UN, Ambassador Andreas Hadjichrysanthou, sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, denouncing Turkish violations of the national air and maritime space of the Republic of Cyprus, which occurred during the months of January-August 2022.
The letter, dated December 13, was released on Tuesday as an official document of the Security Council and the UN General Assembly and according to it, a total of 560 air and 33 naval violations were observed during this eight-month period. It should be noted that 73 out of the 560 air violations were related to the use of Turkish military uncrewed aerial vehicles.
Furthermore, it should be noted that two incidents of Turkish aggression in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone took place at the beginning of 2022.
Turkey’s persistently aggressive behavior on the ground is evidenced by its constant violations of the military status quo on the island and near-daily incursions into the buffer zone, compounded by the continuous upgrading of its military infrastructure, in the already densely militarized occupied areas of Cyprus, the letter says.
According to Ambassador Hadjichrysanthou, restrictions on the movement of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus have escalated to open threats to remove the United Nations peacekeeping operation’s presence from the occupied areas, as publicly expressed by the secessionist regime.
“Such open declarations of intentions to violate Security Council resolutions by interfering with the status and deployment of the peacekeeping force in Cyprus should be stymied accordingly. The United Nations must make it abundantly clear that it cannot be intimidated into entertaining radical threats, especially when these stem from illegal occupying forces, or risk its very integrity in the process” he added.
He also stated that Turkey and its subordinate local administration have, in this respect, publicly stated their intentions to exploit the area for their own benefit, in total disregard for Security Council resolution 550 which calls for the return of Varosha to its lawful inhabitants and the transfer of the area to the administration of the United Nations.
“The belligerent rhetoric of Turkey further adds to its destabilizing actions on the ground in Cyprus and the wider region” notes the Ambassador. He also says that it is imperative for the United Nations to demonstrate that there are no double standards in the application of the Charter.
He also says that Turkey’s actions since 1974 are a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Cyprus and by consequence of the Charter of the United Nations. “The sovereignty and territorial integrity of States under attack must be defended, no matter where the attacks are coming from or how much time has passed. The Security Council must stand behind its resolutions and ensure that they have meaning; otherwise, we risk undermining the credibility of the international system” the Ambassador mentions, among other things” he says.
He also adds that despite the stumbling blocks placed by Turkey and its subordinate local administration, the Republic of Cyprus remains committed to a settlement as defined in Security Council resolutions, one based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation, with political equality. In that regard, we continue to be encouraged by your messages of persistence and determination in the efforts for the resumption of formal negotiations, the Ambassador concludes
Source: Cyprus News Agency