Cyprus President expected to express readiness for resumption of negotiations during speech before the UNGA

Cyprus President, Nicos Anastasiades, is expected to send on Thursday, during his speech at the 74^th session of the UN General Assembly, in New York, messages to the United Nations and the international community about the Greek Cypriot side’s readiness for the resumption of the negotiations on the Cyprus problem, with a view to reach a just, viable and functional settlement, on the basis of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation.

Moreover, Anastasiades is expected to raise the Turkish provocations against the sovereign rights of Cyprus in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the statements by the Turkish side for settling the fenced-off city of Famagusta (Varosha), while he will respond to what the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, said at this speech before the UN General Assembly.

Anastasiades is expected to deliver his speech between 1600-1700 Cyprus time (1300-1400 GMT).

After that, he will hold meetings with the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, and with the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi.

In the evening he will attend and address the 2019 Annual Testimonial Dinner of the Federation of Cypriot American Organizations.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Turkey has ignored numerous UN resolutions calling for the withdrawal of the Turkish troops and respect of the integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus.  Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The last round of negotiations, in the summer of 2017, at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.

Varosha is the fenced-off section of the Turkish occupied town of Famagusta, often described as ‘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.

Efforts over the years for the legitimate citizens of Famagusta to return to the city have met with the refusal of the Turkish side, despite numerous decisions and resolutions by the UN, EU and other international institutions.

(Cyprus News Agency)