Nicosia: The events that took place by the Turkish occupying regime during the anti-occupation event organised by the Municipality of Famagusta on Saturday in Deryneia are condemnable, the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, said on Sunday.
According to Cyprus News Agency, in statements to journalists after the memorial service for the first President of the Republic of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios III, at the Monastery of Kykkos, and invited to comment on the violation by drones in Deryneia, the President of the Republic said that "first and foremost, I condemn such actions; I think it is the first time that this violation has occurred, especially during the anti-occupation event of the Municipality of Famagusta."
He further pointed out that also, for the first time Turkish marches were playing, which was a way to disrupt the event.
At the same time, he said that as long as we observe progress and data towards a resolution to the Cyprus issue, certain individuals who support Cyprus' division and those who promote the continuation of the unacceptable status quo, referring to the Turkish side, will attempt to generate problems, new issues, and complications.
"Certainly, all of this is condemnable; whatever needs to be done will be done. At the same time, I want to say that we are committed to our goal," he stressed.
Asked if he thinks the timing of the Turkish actions was coincidental, the President of the Republic replied that "the Turkish occupying army may have wanted to send some messages. I do not know who is behind this action, what preceded it, who gave the instructions, why it happened, etc. All of this is condemnable; there is no justification whatsoever," he stated.
"From there on," he continued, "we remain committed to our goal. We are making a great effort to initiate an international effort, which is promising, and this is not just wishful thinking; it is based on what we are discussing, what we have seen, how we are proceeding, and we will do everything possible to achieve a positive outcome," regarding a Cyprus solution, he concluded.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose term nears its end, announced he would convene another meeting in broader format, after adequate preparation, but gave no timeline. He secured to that end the consensus of both sides and of the guarantor powers. Mara Angela Holgun, Guterres' Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties. Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto acts as the European Commission's Special Representative for Cyprus, succeeding EU special envoy Johannes Hahn.