Our efforts are on-going in securing the rights of legal residents in the fenced off city of Famagusta and other occupied areas, said President Anastasiades, noting that the government had warned owners of Varosha homes that the invitation by the occupation authorities to resettle, was simply a trap aimed at persuading Greek Cypriots to appeal to the so called compensation committee.
‘That’s why only a small area was made available, a pilot area’, the President added, as a means of attracting the refugees. He once again reiterated that the ‘Turkish Cypriot Guardian of Properties’ as it was dubbed, has no authority to hand out ownership rights.
‘Those who were encouraging Greek Cypriots to appeal to a committee in order to receive compensation, have clearly been refuted’, President Anastasiades stressed.
Asked whether the government is concerned by Turkish actions in Varosha, such as the call to Greek Cypriots to resettle and the intervention to the area in clear violation of the status quo, by clearing out buildings and beautifying the area, Anastasiades had a number of initiatives running in protecting residents’ rights.
‘We hope that diplomacy will vindicate our fight’, he said.
President Anastasiades noted that Nicosia is drawing up a proposal on both the situation in Varosha as well as the settlement of the Cyprus issue that will be submitted to the European Council, asking Europe to take its own initiatives in pushing for a solution as well as the implementation of substantive confidence building measures which canl restore trust between the two communities and pave the way for a new, constructive dialogue.
