27/06/2024 Session
Practical moves made by the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community in Cyprus since October 2020 to re-open Varosha – a fenced-off area of the city of Famagusta which has been a “ghost town” since the division of the island – are an “unacceptable change” to its status and a grave violation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions, according to PACE, and undermine the prospects of reaching a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue.
In a resolution based on a report by Piero Fassino (Italy, SOC), PACE called for Varosha’s return to its lawful inhabitants, either under UN control or as part of a package of reciprocal confidence-building measures between the two communities on the island. Given the highly symbolic importance of Varosha for the Greek Cypriot community, such a step would “constitute a strong positive contribution towards reaching a comprehensive settlement”, the parliamentarians said.
They praised both municipalities of Famagusta/Gazimagusa for establishing “constructive and future-oriented dialogue” and encouraged them to develop common bi-communal projects aimed at “preparing Famagusta, including Varosha, for a common future following the eventual solution of the Cyprus issue”.
They also underlined the possibility for Greek Cypriots who so wish to apply for pecuniary compensation, exchange or restitution of their properties abandoned in 1974 under the “Immovable Property Commission” (IPC) set up in northern Cyprus following a Strasbourg Court ruling, noting that in most cases processed to date the IPC has ruled for compensation in accordance with the claims of the applicants. However the Assembly also said it understands that, for most Greek Cypriots who are lawful inhabitants of Varosha, applying to the IPC “is not politically acceptable or practicable”.
Almost 50 years since the division of the island, the frozen conflict in Cyprus “harms the vital interests of all Cypriot citizens and may lead to dangerous escalation,” the Assembly pointed out. It reiterated its hopes for 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”.
In particular, the Assembly supported the continued efforts by the UN Secretary General and his new Personal Envoy to re-open negotiations between the two Cypriot communities and called on all parties involved to “contribute to the swift resumption of the political process”.