Call for Varosha’s return to its lawful inhabitants
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly
debate on 27 June 2024 (22nd sitting) (see Doc. 16004, report of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy,
rapporteur: Mr Piero Fassino). Text adopted
by the Assembly on 27 June 2024 (22nd sitting).
1. The summer of 2024 marks the sad
fiftieth anniversary of the most dramatic episode in Cyprus’ modern history
– the coup d’état promoted
by the military dictatorship in Greece, aiming at achieving “enosis”
of Cyprus with Greece, and the invasion of the island by Turkey,
which intervened under the pretext of Article IV of the Treaty of
Guarantee of 1960. This crisis followed the intercommunal strife
of 1963-1964, which led to the displacement of Cypriots from their
homes, following which the United Nations decided to deploy the
United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), which is
still present on the island. The Turkish military intervention of
July-August 1974 resulted in thousands of victims and a significant
portion of the population having to flee their homes, leaving everything
behind. The scars of these tragic events are still very present
in the memories and public conscience of Cypriots. One of the most
shocking traces of those events is the ghost town of Varosha, a
fenced-off area of the city of Famagusta which has been closed and
uninhabited for fifty years.
2. The Parliamentary Assembly recalls that Cyprus, which had
been part of the British Empire, was established in 1960 as an independent
State ensuring equal rights and responsibilities to all its citizens,
both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, and with guarantees from
Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
3. The Assembly deplores that, almost fifty years later, the
Cyprus problem is still unresolved, and the island remains divided.
The continuing frozen conflict harms the vital interests of all
Cypriots and may lead to dangerous escalation. Furthermore, it constitutes
a potentially destabilising factor for the eastern Mediterranean
region.
4. The Assembly refers to its previous resolutions on the Cyprus
issue, in particular
Resolution
1362 (2004) “Situation in Cyprus”,
Resolution 1376 (2004) “Cyprus”
and
Resolution 1628 (2008) “Situation
in Cyprus”, and reiterates its strong commitment to reaching a fair,
lasting and comprehensive solution for a peaceful and united Cyprus
which would guarantee the legitimate rights of both Greek Cypriots
and Turkish Cypriots, in full compliance with the values and principles
of the Council of Europe.
5. The Assembly fully supports the continued efforts made by
the UN Secretary-General aimed at reviving the political process
with a view to reaching a negotiated settlement of the Cyprus issue,
and welcomes the appointment of María Angela Holguín Cuéllar as
the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus to explore whether
common ground exists between the two sides, and hopes that her efforts
will be able to promote the reopening of negotiations between the
two Cypriot communities.
6. The Assembly calls upon all parties involved to contribute
to the swift resumption of the political process, and to refrain
from any unilateral steps or public statements that could undermine
the prospects for a swift resumption. In this context, it considers
that the statements made by the leaders of Türkiye and the Turkish Cypriot
community promoting a “two-State solution” for Cyprus, thus pushing
towards an effective partition of the island, ignore and contradict
the desire to establish a united Cyprus in a bizonal and bicommunal
federation in accordance with commonly agreed parameters laid down
by the relevant United Nations documents.
7. In the same vein, the Assembly regrets the announcements made
by the President of Türkiye and practical moves taken by the leader
of the Turkish Cypriot community since October 2020, with a view
to reopening access to the fenced-off area of Varosha. It considers
the gradual opening of the fenced-off area as an unacceptable change
of the status of Varosha as defined by the relevant United Nations
Security Council resolutions, and thus a grave violation of these
resolutions that undermines the prospects of reaching a comprehensive
settlement of the Cyprus issue.
8. Taking into account the highly symbolic importance of Varosha
for the Greek Cypriot community, the Assembly believes that returning
it to its lawful inhabitants, either in the framework of the implementation
of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 550 and 789 placing
it under United Nations control, or as part of a package of reciprocal
confidence-building measures, would constitute a strong positive
contribution towards reaching a comprehensive settlement.
9. The Assembly welcomes, and stands ready to support, all initiatives
aimed at building trust between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot
communities, such as direct dialogue and practical bicommunal co-operation
projects at the level of municipalities, political parties, religious
leaders, academia, civil society organisations, youth, etc.
10. The Assembly particularly praises both municipalities of Famagusta/Gazimağusa
for establishing constructive and future-oriented dialogue and encourages
them to develop common bicommunal projects aimed at preparing Famagusta,
including Varosha, for a common future following the eventual solution
to the Cyprus issue. It calls upon the political leadership of both
communities to facilitate and support such projects.
11. It also welcomes the direct dialogue between representatives
of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot political parties under the
auspices of the Embassy of the Slovak Republic and encourages all
political forces from both sides to make active use of this opportunity
to build mutual understanding and dispel mistrust.
12. The Assembly takes note that the European Court of Human Rights
(the Court) recognises the Immovable Property Commission (IPC),
set up by Turkey in northern Cyprus following the Court judgment
in the Xenides-Arestis v. Turkey case,
as Türkiye’s effective domestic remedy for claims relating to properties
left by Greek Cypriots in northern Cyprus when they fled to the
south in 1974. It underlines this possibility for those Greek Cypriots
who so wish to apply for pecuniary compensation, exchange or restitution
of their properties abandoned in 1974.
13. The Assembly notes that, according to the official information
provided by the IPC, so far it has received 7 596 applications and
concluded 1 775 cases. At the same time, the Assembly observes that,
in most cases processed to date, the IPC has ruled for compensation
in accordance with claims of the applicants, requesting restitution
in only 3.5% of the cases. In addition, it notes that, to date,
no cases relating to Varosha have yet been completed.
14. Moreover, the Assembly understands that, for most Greek Cypriots,
lawful inhabitants of Varosha, applying to the IPC and even obtaining
through it the right to return to their homes, which would remain
under a de facto control of
the Turkish Cypriot authorities, is not politically acceptable or
practicable.
15. The Assembly calls upon all parties involved to resume in
good faith the political process leading to the settlement of the
Cyprus problem on the basis of a bizonal, bicommunal federation
with a single international legal personality, a single sovereignty
and a single citizenship composed of two constituent States with
political equality, as described in pertinent United Nations Security
Council resolutions, and endowed with full powers in matters of
assigned competence.
16. The Assembly urges Türkiye and the leadership of the Turkish
Cypriot community to abandon their stance in favour of a “two-State
solution” for Cyprus and to recommit to the political process leading
to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue based on internationally
agreed parameters.
17. The Assembly further urges the leadership of the Turkish Cypriot
community to reverse all steps taken in Varosha since October 2020,
to refrain from any further unilateral actions in relation to Varosha
that are not in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security
Council resolutions, and to implement as a matter of priority United
Nations Security Council Resolutions 550 and 789 by placing the
fenced-off area of Varosha under United Nations control.
18. In addition, the Assembly calls upon all parties involved
to devise and implement a package of reciprocal confidence-building
measures in accordance with international law, aiming at overcoming
isolation of Turkish Cypriots, and promoting co-operation, for the
benefit of both communities and reunification of the island.
19. The Assembly calls upon the leaders of both communities to
resume their meetings and dialogue on practical issues for the benefit
of all Cypriots, and to re-engage in a political process under the
auspices and with the good offices of the United Nations Secretary-General.
20. The Assembly values the participation of representatives of
the Turkish Cypriot community in its debates and in the work of
its committees and undertakes to give full effect to
Resolution 1376 (2004).
It encourages them to use this opportunity to contribute to the
European political debate more actively, and to engage in a meaningful
dialogue with their Greek Cypriot compatriot counterparts with a
view to building mutual trust and preparing the ground for the resumption
of direct talks between the two communities, under the auspices
of the United Nations, with the aim of reaching a fair, lasting
and comprehensive solution for a peaceful and united Cyprus.
21. The Assembly appreciates the role played by the United Nations
Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus and pays tribute to the soldiers and
civilians who have lost their lives in service to provide peace
and security to the Cypriots.
22. The Assembly calls upon Greece, Türkiye and the United Kingdom,
as guarantor powers, and upon all the members of the United Nations
Security Council, to co-operate to find a solution for the Cyprus
problem in accordance with the pertinent United Nations Security
Council resolutions.
23. The Assembly reiterates its commitment to a united Cyprus
and resolves to continue contributing, through the activities of
its competent committees, to reaching a solution for the Cyprus
problem which is shared by both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots,
and which is in accordance with the pertinent United Nations Security
Council resolutions.
