Ozersay’s actions on Famagusta unacceptable and condemnable
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 30th August 2019, Nicosia
The rage and indignation of the lawful inhabitants of Famagusta with regards the provocative and illegal actions of the so-called “Foreign Minister” Kudret Ozersay, who is setting in motion the colonisation of the fenced-off city of Famagusta, is completely understandable. These actions constitute a flagrant violation of Resolutions 550 and 789 of the UN Security Council, which consider any “attempts to settle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants” as inadmissible and call for the handing over of the fenced-off city under the administration of the United Nations.
AKEL had issued timely warnings of the enormous dangers of new fait accompli being created by the occupying power. All through the history of the Cyprus problem, it has been proven that the prolonged absence of a negotiation procedure, in combination with Turkey relieved of responsibility and the apportioning of responsibilities on the Greek Cypriot side too, represent a fertile ground for the occupying power to create new fait accompli. This is what has happened in the case of Turkey’s illegal drilling in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus. This is also the case with Varosha too.
Our response to these provocative actions is justified and necessary. The point, of course, is not to seek in retrospect ways of responding to the fait accompli created by Turkey and the pseudo-government in the occupied territories, but to pursue a policy that doesn’t enable or at least makes it difficult for Turkey to generate fait accompli.
The most effective way to prevent the plans of Tatar-Ozersay is through the resumption of the negotiation procedure on the Cyprus problem with a view to arriving at successful outcome. That’s precisely where we should be focusing on. In any case it should be noted that the Guterres Framework, but also even the map on territory submitted by the Turkish Cypriot side, safeguard Varosha for its lawful inhabitants. Besides, Ozersay’s goal with these actions is to torpedo the efforts for a resumption of the negotiations based on the agreed basis of bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality, as set out in the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.
