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President asked Merkel to exert pressure for resumption of Cyprus talks

14/10/2021 09:06

Cyprus President, Nicos Anastasiades, asked on Wednesday the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, to exert pressure for the resumption of Cyprus talks and the termination and reversal of Turkey`s illegal activities against Cyprus.

According to a press release issued by the Presidency, Anastasiades had a telephone conversation with Merkel, during which their close, cordial and long-standing friendship, both at the political and personal level, was underlined.

President Anastasiades had the opportunity to refer extensively to the latest developments in the Cyprus problem, including the delay to the appointment of a UN special envoy on Cyprus, as well as to the ongoing Turkish provocations, both at the Cypriot maritime zones and the fenced off city of Famagusta (Varosha).
 
President Anastasiades asked the German Chancellor to exert her pressure towards the resumption of the process of the talks on the Cyprus place within the determined framework, and the termination and reversal of Turkey`s illegal activities, the press release added.

The two leaders agreed to stay in touch, it concluded.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Numerous UN backed talks to reunite the island have failed to yield results.

The government of the Cyprus Republic has issued an anti-Navtex following Turkey`s Navtex as regards the seismic ship Oruc Reis which will be conducting research in the Eastern Mediterranean until December 16.

The Navtex affects to a small degree Cyprus` exclusive economic zone in the north of the island, in an area from occupied Kerynia to Turkey. In the Navtex the Cyprus Republic noted that the Turkish Navtex violates its sovereign rights.

On Friday Antalya Navtex Station issued the Navtex saying that Oruc Reis will be accompanied it its research operation by ships Ataman and Genghis Khan of the Turkish navy.

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. 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, announced in July 2021 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.