Cyprus denounces Erdogan’s visit in long-abandoned beach resort

On Saturday, Cyprus denounced Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s planned visit in a long-abandoned beach resort to celebrate the divided anniversary island’s breakaway northern state and described it as a provocation without precedent.

President Nicos Anastasiades reported on Sunday that the visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and to Varosha for the picnic consider a provocation without precedent. He also said: They simultaneously undermine the UN secretary-general’s efforts to call an informal five-party meeting between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, Athens, Ankara, and former colonial power London.

In a statement, Anastasiades declared that such acts also do not contribute to creating a favorable, positive climate for the resumption of talks for the solution of the Cyprus problem.

Indeed, this visit, only after weeks that Erdogan helped a nationalist ally win election as Turkish Cypriot leader, is painful for the island’s Greek Cypriot majorities, who have never given up their call the refuge to be permitted to return to their previous homes in Varosha.

In a statement, the island internationally recognized president, who is also the Greek Cypriot leader, related that these acts cause the outrage of all the people of Cyprus.

A vacation spot that was dubbed a “Jewel of the Mediterranean”, Varosha had been fenced off ever since Turkey’s 1974 invasion of Northern Cyprus.

It should be noted that like a vacation spot that was named a Jewel of the Mediterranean, Varosha had been enclosed since Turkey’s 1974 invasion of Northern Cyprus, which is launched in response to an Athens-engineered coup in Nicosia, and was followed on November 15, 1983, by the announcement of the TRNC that is recognized just by Ankara. Thereafter, Turkish troops partially opened the seafront of Varosha again on October 8, which exciting international criticism.

Greek and Turkish Cypriot organizations have signed a joint petition appealing for Varosha’s “unilateral” reopening to halt and stay away for Erdogan. The petition contains: The festive nature of the reopening, built on the memories and suffering of its past inhabitants, hurts our conscience.

Hundreds of Turkish Cypriot protesters shouted in northern Nicosia on Tuesday to denounce Erdogan’s visit, saying: No interference! Freedom for all!