PM tells UN to ‘face the facts’

PRIME Minister Ersin Tatar lambasted the United Nations Security Council after it called on his decision to reopen parts of Maraş (Varosha) to be “reversed”.

He called on the UN to “face the facts” and accused the organisation of being influenced by the Greek Cypriots.

“The UN statement was written under the influence of the Greek administration, without any consideration of the new conjuncture in the Eastern Mediterranean and facts on the island,” Mr Tatar said.

“The continuation of the status quo in Cyprus will not contribute to a solution. . . The relevant UN resolutions cannot be fulfilled if Maraş remains closed.

“I hope this opening will not only benefit the Turkish Cypriots, but the Greek Cypriots as well.”

A statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry said it “fully supports” the comments made by Mr Tatar.

“The decision announced by the Turkish Cypriot authorities on the fenced city of Maraş, territory of the TRNC, does not cause any grievance in the area which is opened for visits,” the statement said.

“The status of the region remains unchanged. Therefore, the claim that the decision violates the UN Security Council resolutions does not reflect the reality.

“The international community should take into account the realities on the island, not the misleading propaganda of the Greek Cypriot administration, and consider the developments without any prejudice.

“Advocating for the continuation of the status quo will neither benefit the two peoples who are the co-owners of the Cyprus island, nor help the settlement of the Cyprus issue.”

In a “presidential statement” issued late last Friday the UN Security Council expressed “concern” over “Turkey’s plan” to “reopen the Varosha coast”.

The statement was issued by Russia’s Dmitry Polyanskiy, UN Security Council president for October, following a twominute long meeting at the UN headquarters in New York.

“The Security Council reaffirms the status of Varosha as set out in previous United Nations Security Council resolutions,” the statement said.

“The Security Council reiterates that no actions should be carried out in relation to Varosha that are not in accordance with those resolutions.”

The statement was referring to resolution 550, issued in May 1984, which said the UN Security Council was “deeply concerned about recent threats for settlement of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants” and that “attempts to settle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants” are “inadmissible”. It also called on the area to be transferred to UN administration, a stance that was reaffirmed in 1992 under resolution 789.

“The Security Council expresses its deep concern regarding the announcement in Ankara on October 6 to open the coastline of Varosha and calls for the reversal of this course of action, and for the avoidance of any unilateral actions that could raise tensions on the island,” the latest UN statement tinued.

“The Security Council stresses the importance of full respect and implementation of its resolutions [and] reaffirms its commitment to an enduring, comprehensive and just settlement in accordance with the wishes of the Cypriot people, and based on a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality, as set out in relevant Security Council resolutions.”

“In this regard, the Security Council calls on the Cypriot sides and the guarantor powers [Turkey, Greece and the UK] to engage in dialogue constructively and with a sense of urgency following the electoral process in the Turkish Cypriot community.

“The Security Council reiterates its support for the Secretary-General and his intention to convene a meeting as agreed between the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot leaders in their meeting with the Secretary- General in November 2019.

“The Security Council shall remain seized of the matter.” con