Nicosia: The ongoing initiative by the UN Secretary-General offers an opportunity to resolve the Cyprus issue, always on the basis of the agreed United Nations framework and the EU acquis, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a message marking the anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Mitsotakis emphasized the goal of achieving a reunified Cyprus, free of occupying troops and outdated systems of guarantees. "Whenever the calendar marks 20 July, our thoughts do not simply return to the dark anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. They return to an open wound on the island and in the heart of Hellenism as a whole. They recall the enduring crime of the illegal occupation, the pain of displacement, and the tragedy of the missing persons," he noted.
Mitsotakis added that "fifty-two years on, we honour the heroes who defended freedom, refusing to accept the faits accomplis imposed by the violence of arms. Greece stands unwaveringly alongside the Republic of Cyprus, committed to the principles of international law and the United Nations resolutions calling for a just, functional and viable settlement of the Cyprus issue."
He reiterated that "the ongoing initiative by the UN Secretary-General offers an opportunity to resolve the issue, always on the basis of the agreed United Nations framework and the EU acquis. The objective is a reunified Cyprus, free of occupying troops and outdated systems of guarantees-a modern country that will prosper as part of the wider European family. This is the future that Cyprus deserves. We therefore continue this difficult struggle. We do not forget; we remain vigilant!," 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.
After informal meetings in 2025, followed by a hiatus of several months, deliberations are underway for a new meeting in broader format to be held, as the term of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres nears its end. Mara Angela Holgun, Guterres' Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties.