20/07/2021 14:01
Cyprus President will preside over an extraordinary session of the National Council on Wednesday at 11:00 am local time to assess the situation and make decisions on further steps following today`s announcements by the Turkish Cypriot side on the fenced off town of Varosha. The President also gave instructions to the FM to brief the EU and the UN on the matter.
A written statement by the Government Spokesman Marios Pelekanos says that the FM has already spoken with Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The Minister will also address the President and the members of the UN Security Council in a letter ahead of the discussion to be held tomorrow on Secretary General`s reports on Cyprus.
Today at 16:00 local time the Minister will brief the Ambassadors of the five permanent members of the UNSC and an hour later the Ambassadors of the EU member states.
Varosha, the fenced off section of the Turkish occupied town of Famagusta, is often described as a ‘ghost town’.
Turkey invaded Cyprus on July 20, 1974. Numerous UN backed talks to reunite the island have failed to yield results.
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.
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar today announced a partial lifting of the military status in Varosha.
On October 8, 2020, the Turkish side opened part of the fenced area of Varosha, following an announcement made in Ankara on October 6. Both the UN Secretary-General and the EU expressed concern, while the UN Security Council called for the reversal of this course of action.
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