The Turkish-occupied Municipality of Famagusta begins an international campaign to persuade foreign countries to exert pressure on Turkey as regards its stance in the fenced off town of Varosha. The Mayor Simos Ioannou said that if there is no change then the only solution is for Cyprus to appeal to the UN Security Council.
The Mayor made statements on Tuesday during a symbolic five minute stoppage titled “We are all Famagusta“ to protest Turkey`s provocations in Varosha and the illegal visit by the President of Turkey to the occupied areas. He hoped that everyone in Cyprus and abroad will stand by their side in the just struggle for Famagusta.
Other municipalities, organized groups, parties etc have also supported the symbolic move.
Turkey invaded Cyprus on July 20, 1974. Numerous UN backed talks to reunite the island have failed to yield results. A 5+1 Informal Meeting that took place in Geneva, on April 27-29, failed to find enough common ground to allow for the resumption of formal negotiations in relation to the settlement of the Cyprus problem.
UN Secretary – General, Antonio Guterres, has said that he will convene in the near future another meeting of the 5+1, the five plus the United Nations, again with the objective to move in the direction of reaching common ground to allow for formal negotiations to start.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.
On October 8, 2020, the Turkish side opened part of the fenced area of Varosha, following an announcement made in Ankara on October 6. Both the UN Secretary-General and the EU expressed concern, while the UN Security Council called for the reversal of this course of action.
