Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs Erato Kozakou Markoullis held a series of meetings on the sidelines of the session of the Commonwealth Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Uganda, during which she discussed the Cyprus problem and bilateral relations.
On Thursday, Markoullis held separate meetings with her counterparts from Bangladesh Iftekhar Ahmed Chowhury, the Maldives Abdulla Shaheed and the Commonwealth of Dominica John Collin McIntyre, as well as Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs of South Africa Sue van der Merwe.
Markoullis informed them on the Cyprus problem and the latest efforts to find a settlement, especially the 8 July 2006 agreement and the Turkish side’s refusal to implement the agreement.
She noted that the Cyprus problem is one of foreign intervention and occupation, adding that the problem remains unsolved and Cyprus is facing one of the most crucial periods in efforts to reach a settlement.
Markoullis explained that this is happening because, despite the support of the international community for the reunification of Cyprus through a bizonal bicommunal federation on the basis of UN Security Council resolutions, Turkey is openly and officially trying to achieve a solution of two states, based on two religions.
The Cypriot Minister pointed out that this was a very dangerous turn of events, which threatened world politics and the state of law, as well as the territorial integrity of all multinational, multicultural and multireligious societies, many of which are members of the Commonwealth.
Furthermore, during her meetings with her counterparts of Bangladesh and the Maldives, which are members of the Organisation for the Islamic Conference, Markoullis discussed the Cyprus problem and its examination in the context of the Islamic Conference.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.
President of the Republic of Cyprus Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat agreed on 8 July 2006, during a meeting in Nicosia in the presence of then UN Undersecretary for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari, to begin a process of bicommunal discussions on issues that affect the day-to-day life of the people and concurrently those that concern substantive issues, both contributing to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem.
