Larnaca: President Nikos Christodoulides revealed on Saturday that during his recent meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in New York, he put forward the idea of establishing a truth committee to address the issue of missing persons. Unfortunately, the proposal was met with a negative response. The meeting took place on the sidelines of an informal conference addressing the Cyprus issue.
According to Cyprus News Agency, President Christodoulides, while speaking at a remembrance event for the missing in Kornos, Larnaca district, reminded attendees that he had previously suggested a similar proposal to Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar during their initial meetings. Emphasizing the humanitarian nature of the issue, he noted that Turkish Cypriots are also among the missing. He asserted that relatives deserve to know the truth and that the state must fulfill its obligation in this regard.
The President highlighted the government’s efforts to apply pressure on both the UN and the EU, urging them to use their influence to assist Cyprus in this humanitarian matter and persuade Turkey to allow access to its military archives. He praised the invaluable contribution of relatives in this ongoing struggle.
House President Annita Demetriou expressed her dismay at the inhumane situation where hundreds remain missing 51 years after the Turkish invasion. She criticized Turkey for ignoring international resolutions and legal rulings related to the missing persons.
Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus called for those involved to act decisively to persuade Turkey to cooperate sincerely on this humanitarian issue. He lamented the indifference of the international community and stressed the necessity of resolving the issue of missing persons to achieve a settlement of the Cyprus problem.
The remembrance event was held at the Panorama of the Missing in Kornos, Larnaca district, with various dignitaries, including Nicos Sergides, Maria Kalbourtzi, Ambassador Ioannis Papameletiou, and Anastasios Bartzokas, delivering speeches. Cyprus remains divided since Turkey’s 1974 invasion, with UN-led peace talks repeatedly failing due to Turkish intransigence. The fate of many remains unknown despite the establishment of a Committee on Missing Persons aimed at exhuming and identifying the remains of missing individuals from both communities.