Cyprus stil occupied still divided 1974-2015

• About 1,070 persons, civilians and soldiers, are still missing, while the Turkish side refuses to co- operate in ascertaining their fate. • Less than 440 Greek Cypriots and Maronites, out of 20,000 at the end of August 1974, remain en- claved in their villages, which are still occupied, living under conditions of oppression and depri- vation. • The demographic structure and balance of Cyprus has been altered due to the illegal mass transfer of settlers from Turkey to the occupied areas, as well as the emigration of thousands of Turkish Cypriots from the island following the Turkish in- vasion. Turkish Cypriots are now vastly outnum- bered by troops and settlers from Turkey, thus constituting the minority in the occupied areas. • The usurpation of Greek Cypriot properties con- tinues through the illegal construction on Greek Cypriot land and the illegal sale of property owned by Greek Cypriots, who were forcibly ex- pelled from their homes after the Turkish inva- sion. • Priceless religious and archaeological treasures – part of the world’s cultural heritage – are still in danger, while many churches, monuments, ceme- teries and archaeological sites have been de- stroyed, desecrated or vandalised. A series of UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, as well as resolutions adopted by numer- ous other international organisations, reflect the uni- versal condemnation of Turkey’s invasion and all sub- sequent acts of aggression against Cyprus. The resolutions demand the withdrawal of foreign troops, the return of refugees to their homes in safety and the ascertainment of the fate of the missing persons. Moreover, they call for the respect of the human rights of all Cypriots as well as for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cyprus. More recently, the European Court of Human Rights in its judgment against Turkey on 12 May 2014 has found the government of Turkey responsible for gross and systematic violations of human rights in Cyprus. Successive rounds of UN-sponsored talks between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to resolve the Cyprus problem did not yield a positive result due to the negative stance of the Turkish side. The Greek Cypriot side, on the other hand, remains steadfast on positions of principle, proceeds to the negotiating table in good faith and with targeted proposals, seeking to free Cyprus from Turkish troops and to reunify the country and its people. Following the assumption of his duties, President Anastasiades has set the solution of the Cyprus prob- lem as a top priority, on the basis of a functional Eu- ropean state, with the substantive involvement of the EU. On 11 February 2014, following an initiative by President Anastasiades, the leaders of the two communities agreed on a Joint Declaration on the re-launching of the negotiations. The Joint Declara- tion, taking into account the concerns of both com- munities, clearly sets the basis for the solution, while at the same time explicitly defines the basic interna- tional and European principles and values that need to be safeguarded in the pursued solution. The Joint Declaration expresses the leaders’ determination to reach a solution based on a bizonal, bi-communal federation, with political equality, as defined in the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions, the High Level Agreements and the principles of the European Union. The united Cyprus, as a member of the United Nations and of the European Union, shall have a single international legal personality, a single sovereignty and a single Cyprus citizenship. The Cyprus Government comes to the new round of talks in goodwill, with the aim to achieve a solution to the longstanding problem that afflicts the people of Cyprus. The Government expresses its political will and determination to work sincerely and do all in its power to achieve a compromise settlement that will safeguard the prosperity and a common peaceful fu- ture for the people of Cyprus. Furthermore, the re-