Commonwealth ‘deeply concerned’ over Varosha

Commonwealth member states expressed “deep concern” over the illegal opening of the beach-front in Varosha last month, the fenced-off part of Turkish occupied Famagusta.

Cyprus Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Christodoulides briefed his Commonwealth counterparts on the situation of Varosha, an abandoned Greek Cypriot resort left empty for 46 years.

The statement of the Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Meeting reads: “We reaffirm herewith the status of Varosha as set out in relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, and reiterate that no actions should be carried out in Varosha that are not in accordance with these Resolutions.

In this regard, we fully support and reiterate the call made by the UN Security Council in its a Presidential Statement on 9 October 2020.”

The Commonwealth member states also reiterated their support for the commitment reaffirmed by the UN Security Council to an enduring, comprehensive and just settlement in accordance with the wishes of the Cypriot people, based on a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality.

They gave “full and enduring support for the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and unity of the Republic of Cyprus,” and support for the resumption of negotiations.

The Turkish side illegally opened on October 8 part of the beachfront of the abandoned town, in violation of UN resolutions.

UN Security Council resolution 550 (1984) considers any attempts to settle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible and calls for the transfer of this area to the administration of the UN.