Nicosia hosts the 8th Cyprus-Greece-Egypt Trilateral Summit

Nicosia will host on October 21 the 8th Cyprus-Greece-Egypt Trilateral Summit.

Deputy Government Spokesman Panayiotis Sentonas said in a written statement on Friday that among the issues to be discussed during the Summit are the Cyprus problem, the illegal activities of Turkey in Famagusta and the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean.

According to Sentonas, during the Summit that will take place in the framework of deepening regional cooperation with neighbouring countries will also focus on the results and the progress of the trilateral mechanism, the cooperation in the field of energy, the migration issue, the fighting of terrorism, as well as the situation as regards the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Summit will adopt a Joint Declaration, that will refer to the three countries` common positions on a series of issues, challenges and policies, Sentonas concluded.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.

Turkey issued recently a new illegal Navtex for seismic research by Turkish vessel "Barbaros" within Cyprus` Exclusive Economic Zone.

Ankara sent on several occasions its seismic research vessel ‘Barbaros’ to Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), following the Republic of Cyprus’ decision, in 2011, to start exploratory offshore drilling. After May 2019, Turkey caused a stir by sending consecutively two drill ships, “Fatih” and “Yavuz”, to conduct unauthorised drilling activities of hydrocarbons in the Eastern Mediterranean, at times in areas licensed by Cyprus to international energy companies.
 
The European Council reaffirmed its full solidarity with Cyprus, regarding the respect of its sovereignty and sovereign rights in accordance with international law and in February 2020, placed two persons under restrictive measures, in relation to Turkey`s unauthorised drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Turkish side illegally opened on October 8 part of the beach of the abandoned town of Famagusta, in violation to numerous UN resolutions.
 
Varosha, the fenced off section of the Turkish occupied town of Famagusta, is often described as a ‘ghost town’. 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.