‘AT THE POINT OF NO RETURN’
● TRNC, TURKEY DEFIANT ON MARAŞ STATUS CHANGE ● CONDEMNATION FROM THE US ● GREEK CYPRIOT ADMINISTRATION APPEALS TO UN SECURITY COUNCIL
PLANS to reopen the fenced-off part of Maraş, also known as Varosha, under civilian control have reached the “point of no return” the Foreign Ministry has said in the face of growing global concern over the issue.
On Tuesday, President Ersin Tatar announced that roughly 3.5 per cent of Maraş, which has been uninhabited since 1974, has been removed from its military status as part of the “second phase” of the coastal town’s reopening.
The first phase happened last October, when roads in parts of the closed area of Maraş were opened to sightseers, although they remained under military control.
Former Greek Cypriot inhabitants would be allowed to return by applying to the TRNC’s Immovable Property Commission (IPC), Mr Tatar added. The Greek Cypriot administration’s “National Council” has warned its citizens not to apply to the IPC.
It emerged that the partial demilitarisation decision had actually been taken by the Council of Ministers on July 16, but had been kept quiet until Mr Tatar’s speech at the Peace and Freedom Day parade on Tuesday.
The area that has been demilitarised – covering 174,643 square metres – includes private property that 36 Greek Cypriots have requested the IPC return to them. Alternatively the applicants could receive compensation or exchange the properties for properties in South Cyprus.
The Council of Ministers decision said that “iron fences in the area will be removed” although no timeframe for changes on the ground was given.
Maraş is subject to a United Nations Security Council resolution, issued in 1984 and which remains valid, that “considers 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 United Nations”.
The US, the UK, the UN, the EU, France, Israel and China were among those to express their concern over the move, with Greek Cypriot foreign minister Nikos Christodoulides calling on the UN Security Council to take action. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted that he had discussed the matter with Mr Christodoulides.
“The US condemns the Turkish Cypriot announcement, with Turkey’s support, on Varosha,” he wrote.
“This is unacceptable and inconsistent with UN resolutions. We’re pushing for a strong UNSC response.”
A statement from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: “The UK is deeply concerned about the announcement made during the visit of President Erdoğan to Cyprus . . . regarding the reopening and resettlement of an area constituting 3.4 per cent of the fenced-off area of Varosha.
“The announcement runs contrary to UN Security Council resolutions and to the Security Council Presidential Statement of October 8, 2020, which called for Turkey to halt and reverse its actions in Varosha.
“The UK strongly supports the relevant Security Council Resolutions covering the issue of Varosha and calls for all parties to comply with them.
“The UK will be discussing this issue as a matter of urgency with other Security Council members.
“The UK calls on all parties not to take any actions which undermine the Cyprus Settlement process or increase tensions on the island.”
On Thursday a top FCDO diplomat, Ajay Sharma, and British High Commissioner Stephen Lillie met
with Mr Tatar in his offices.
Asked by Cyprus Today if the issue of Maraş was discussed, a High Commission spokesman said: “Ajay Sharma visited Cyprus to meet with various officials in regards to the Cyprus problem. His meeting with Mr Tatar took place in this context.”
On Thursday the TRNC’s Foreign Ministry hit back at the criticism from abroad in a strongly worded statement.
“The Turkish Cypriot side has always participated, in a constructive manner, in the negotiations carried out with the purpose of reaching a mutually acceptable agreement on the Cyprus issue,” it said.
“Its acceptance of the Annan Plan in 2004 and openings in the process leading up to the CransMontana Conference in 2017 are the most notable manifestations of its constructive approach.
“Similarly, it has also positively approached the ideas concerning the Confidence Building Measures, including the fenced-off area of Maraş/Varosha.
“On the other hand, the Greek Cypriot side, whose sole aim is to perpetuate the comfort zone provided by the status quo, has adopted a rejectionist stance vis-à-vis the negotiations on the Cyprus issue as well as the proposals for Confidence Building Measures.
“With a view to achieving a win-win outcome, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has been taking positive steps concerning the fenced-off area of Maraş, which has become the symbol of the status quo.
“As the TRNC Presidency and our Ministry have stated on every occasion, the decisions on the fenced-off area of Maraş, which is part of our territory, are taken by the relevant authorities of our State in line with international law and respect for the rights of property owners.
“In spite of the utmost significance we attach to property rights, the statements by the officials of some countries, as well as international and regional organisations backing the Greek Cypriot side’s unfounded allegations, are unfortunate.
“These statements are not only unfortunate but also obstruct a mutually acceptable and sustainable agreement to be reached on the island of Cyprus that will pave the way to restore the stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.
“The Greek Cypriot side has been making every effort to perpetuate the status quo, which is in its favour, and further deepen the isolation imposed upon the Turkish Cypriot people. The support given by the officials of certain countries as well as international and regional organisations to the federal settlement model, which had repeatedly failed, serves nothing but the continuation of the status quo on the island.
“Given the failure in the negotiations for 50 years, the Turkish Cypriot side remains determined to do its utmost within the framework of its proposal envisaging the establishment of a cooperative relationship once its inherent rights of sovereign equality and equal international status are secured.
“The Turkish Cypriot side believes that this proposal is the only settlement paradigm reflecting the realities on the island, which could render a settlement possible, and that an agreement to be reached within the framework of this proposal would also restore the stability in our region.
“We are at a point of no return. The sooner this fact is acknowledged and absorbed, the sooner the circumstances conducive to a win-win outcome will emerge.”
Prime Minister Ersan Saner said: “Maraş is part of the TRNC and a significant part of it is already open. On the other hand, the closed part has been a component of the ‘Confidence Building Measures Packages’ put forward to support the efforts to find a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Cyprus issue for many years.”
“After the negotiation process collapsed when the Greek side rejected our sovereign equality and put forward the nullification of the Turkish guarantee as a condition for an agreement in Crans Montana in 2017, we saw that it was no longer possible to reach a federal solution with them.
“So we have adopted the policy of announcing our demand for the opening of Closed Maraş and a two-state solution to the world.
“These were included in the programme of the National Unity Party (UBP)-Peoples Party (HP) coalition government established in 2019 . . . The UBPHP government decided to open Closed Maraş in October 2020.
“Ersin Tatar, then Prime Minister of that government, participated as a candidate in the Presidential election held in October 2020. He found support by explaining this policy to our people and was elected the fifth TRNC President.
“The programme that I established in December 2020, which received a vote of confidence from [Parliament], emphasised that Closed Maraş will continue to be opened . . . Based on this, our government decided to move to the second phase in the reopening of Maraş and demilitarise 3.5 per cent of it.
“As a result of the demilitarisation of this zone, the applications of the pre-1974 residents of that area to the IPC can now be evaluated.
“Taking into account the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights and the laws of the state, our government will continue to make similar decisions regarding continuing to open Closed Maraş via the IPC. . . We know that these steps are the right move for the former residents of Maraş, for the TRNC and for mankind.
“Therefore, we condemn the criticisms of the United States of America, the European Union, France and Israel regarding the transition to the second phase of the opening of Closed Maraş.”