POLITICS: Cyprus protests to UN against Turkey undermining its sovereignty

Cyprus has protested to the UN over violations of its airspace and territorial waters by Turkey, arguing that it proves Ankara aims to undermine its sovereignty.

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Michael Mavros, First Secretary of the Permanent Mission of Cyprus to the UN, sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, protesting Turkish violations, it was announced Friday.

Mavros attached two documents to his letter, describing in detail all Turkish violations of international air traffic regulations and the Republic’s national airspace in June, while noting the illegal use of ports, which remain closed, by Turkish warships.

He stressed the systematic use of the illegal airport in Tymbou by Turkish commercial planes.

The First Secretary argued that Turkey, which illegally occupies the northern part of the Republic of Cyprus since 1974, aims through these actions to undermine the sovereignty of the Republic.

He also reiterates that the only authority in Cyprus is the Republic of Cyprus, as stipulated in various Security Council resolutions and in particular in resolution 541 (1983) and 550 (1984), in which the Security Council declares the so-called “TRNC” as null and void.

The diplomat urged Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots to heed the calls of the international community and contribute to a meaningful resumption of the peace process, instead of undermining the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus and reinforcing the continuation of the de facto division by upgrading the status of the secessionist entity.

The last UN-backed push to reach a Cyprus settlement collapsed in July 2017 at a summit in the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana.