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Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiades says that the scheduled visit of his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Varosha “does not contribute to creating a favorable and positive atmosphere for the resumption of talks to reach a solution” of the Cyprus problem.
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A visit from the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is expected tomorrow Sunday to the city of Varosha, in northern Cyprus.
Cyprus called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Varosha an “unprecedented provocation”.
He also condemned Erdogan’s upcoming visit to a disputed coastal resort on the island, on the anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which only Ankara recognizes.
Against this background, Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiades said that Erdogan’s scheduled visit to northern Cyprus and the city of Varosha on Sunday represents an “unprecedented provocation”.
He noted that this visit “undermines the efforts of the UN Secretary General to call for an informal five-year dialogue” between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots, Athens, Ankara and London, the former colonial power on the island.
The Cypriot president added that such movements “do not contribute to creating an appropriate and positive atmosphere for the resumption of talks to reach a solution” of the Cyprus problem.
The visit comes a few weeks after Erdogan supported his nationalist ally Ersin Tatar to win the presidential elections in northern Cyprus.
Consequently, Anastasiades said: “These movements enrage the people of Cyprus.”
Varosha, which was described as the “jewel of the Mediterranean”, has remained desolate and surrounded by barbed wire since Turkey invaded northern Cyprus in 1974.
After the invasion, which occurred in the context of a coup aimed at annexing it to Greece, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was declared on November 15, 1983, but only obtained recognition from Ankara.
Turkish forces partially reopened Varosha on October 8, prompting international criticism.
The Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot organizations signed a joint petition calling for a “unilateral” halt to the conquest of Varosha and the cancellation of Erdogan’s visit.
“The festive nature of the reopening, which occurred at the cost of the memory and suffering of its former inhabitants, hurts our conscience,” the petition states.
Hundreds of Turkish Cypriots shouted slogans such as “No intervention” and “Freedom for all” during a protest against Erdogan’s visit on Tuesday in the north of the divided capital Nicosia.
Northern Cyprus Prime Minister Ersin Tatar is reported to have won the second presidential round, which may affect the course of negotiations between Turkey and Greece on sovereignty in the eastern Mediterranean.
Ersin’s victory, backed by Turkey and in favor of a two-state solution on the Mediterranean island, was the latest surprise to outgoing President Mustafa Akinci, who supported the reunification of the two divided parts of Cyprus after the Turkish invasion 46 years ago.
Contrary to expectations, Turkey-backed nationalist candidate Arsin Tatar won the unilaterally proclaimed “presidency” of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, contradicting expectations and giving Ankara a leadership position in light of severe regional tension in the context of your projects in the eastern Mediterranean.
The Tatars obtained 51.69% of the votes, ahead of Mustafa Akinci, who maintains a cold relationship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in an event that heralds a radical change in relations with the southern part of the island.
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