CNA
Cyprus’ Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides discussed the latest provocative action by Turkey in relation to the fenced area of Varosha and Ankara’s continuing illegal activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, in a telephone conversation on Friday with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
According to a post in the Foreign Ministry’s Twitter account, the two Ministers also talked
about next steps in further strengthening Cyprus-US bilateral cooperation.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.
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.
Moreover, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and “prime minister” of the Turkish Cypriot puppet regime Ersin Tatar announced recently in Ankara the opening of part of the beach of the abandoned town of Famagusta and went ahead with it, 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.
