1974 – 2024 CYPRUS still occupied still divided years since the Turkish invasion 50 1974 – 2024 still occupied still divided years since the Turkish invasion
,Q -XO\ 7XUNH\ LQYDGHG WKH 5HSXEOLF RI &\SUXV LQ YLRODWLRQ RI WKH 81 &KDUWHU and the fundamental principles of international law. Beyond the immense human VXΊHULQJ DQG WKH JUHDW PDWHULDO ORVVHV WKH GLUH FRQVHTXHQFHV RI WKH LQYDVLRQ DQG subsequent illegal military occupation by Turkey are still felt today: Ȏ )RU FRQVHFXWLYH \HDUV &\SUXV DQG LWV SHRSOH UHPDLQ IRUFLEO\ DQG DUWLFLDOO\ GLYLGHG • Over 36% of the sovereign territory of the Republic of Cyprus is still under illegal military occupation by Turkey, with the presence of dozens of thousands of heavily armed Turkish troops rendering the occupied area of Cyprus one of the most densely militarised DUHDV LQ WKH ZRUOG • 200 000 Greek Cypriots, over a third of the 1974 total population, who were forcibly expelled from the northern part of Cyprus, where they constituted about 70% of the population, are still deprived of the right to UHWXUQ WR WKHLU KRPHV DQG SURSHUWLHV • More than 750 persons, civilians and soldiers, are still missing, while the Turkish side refuses WR FRRSHUDWH IXOO\ LQ DVFHUWDLQLQJ WKHLU IDWH • Less than 400 Greek Cypriots and Maronites, out of 20 000 at the end of August 1974, remain enclaved in their still-occupied villages, living XQGHU FRQGLWLRQV RI RSSUHVVLRQ DQG GHSULYDWLRQ 1974 – 2024 CYPRUS still occupied still divided years since the Turkish invasion 50 ,Q -XO\ 7XUNH\ LQYDGHG WKH 5HSXEOLF RI &\SUXV LQ YLRODWLRQ RI WKH 81 &KDUWHU and the fundamental principles of international law. Beyond the immense human VXΊHULQJ DQG WKH JUHDW PDWHULDO ORVVHV WKH GLUH FRQVHTXHQFHV RI WKH LQYDVLRQ DQG subsequent illegal military occupation by Turkey are still felt today: Ȏ )RU FRQVHFXWLYH \HDUV &\SUXV DQG LWV SHRSOH UHPDLQ IRUFLEO\ DQG DUWLFLDOO\ GLYLGHG • Over 36% of the sovereign territory of the Republic of Cyprus is still under illegal military occupation by Turkey, with the presence of dozens of thousands of heavily armed Turkish troops rendering the occupied area of Cyprus one of the most densely militarised DUHDV LQ WKH ZRUOG • 200 000 Greek Cypriots, over a third of the 1974 total population, who were forcibly expelled from the northern part of Cyprus, where they constituted about 70% of the population, are still deprived of the right to UHWXUQ WR WKHLU KRPHV DQG SURSHUWLHV • More than 750 persons, civilians and soldiers, are still missing, while the Turkish side refuses WR FRRSHUDWH IXOO\ LQ DVFHUWDLQLQJ WKHLU IDWH • Less than 400 Greek Cypriots and Maronites, out of 20 000 at the end of August 1974, remain enclaved in their still-occupied villages, living XQGHU FRQGLWLRQV RI RSSUHVVLRQ DQG GHSULYDWLRQ 1974 – 2024 still occupied still divided years since the Turkish invasion
• 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 RI WKRXVDQGV RI 7XUNLVK &\SULRWV IURP WKH LVODQG DIWHU WKH 7XUNLVK LQYDVLRQ $V D UHVXOW Turkish Cypriots are now vastly outnumbered by troops and settlers from Turkey, thus FRQVWLWXWLQJ WKH PLQRULW\ LQ WKH RFFXSLHG DUHDV • The usurpation of Greek Cypriot properties continues through the illegal construction on Greek Cypriot land and the illegal sale of property owned by Greek Cypriots, who ZHUH IRUFLEO\ H[SHOOHG IURP WKHLU KRPHV • Priceless religious and archaeological treasures – part of the world’s cultural heritage – are still in danger, while many churches, monuments, cemeteries and archaeological VLWHV KDYH EHHQ GHVWUR\HG GHVHFUDWHG RU YDQGDOL]HG 0DQ\ PRQXPHQWV LQ WKH RFFXSLHG part of Cyprus have been targeted for deliberate destruction and more than 60 000 cultural objects have been smuggled and LOOHJDOO\ VROG DEURDG 0RUH WKDQ FKXUFKHV and monasteries have been looted, destroyed or desecrated and more than 20 000 icons, sacred vessels, gospels and other objects have GLVDSSHDUHG &KXUFKHV KDYH EHHQ WXUQHG LQWR mosques, museums, places of entertainment, hotels, army barracks, storages and even barns and their invaluable icons and frescoes ZHUH UHPRYHG DQG LOOHJDOO\ VROG DEURDG $ VHULHV RI 81 *HQHUDO $VVHPEO\ DQG 6HFXULW\ &RXQFLO 5HVROXWLRQV DV ZHOO DV 5HVROXWLRQV DGRSWHG E\ QXPHURXV RWKHU LQWHUQDWLRQDO RUJDQL]DWLRQV UHΌHFW WKH XQLYHUVDO condemnation of Turkey’s invasion and all subsequent acts of aggression against the Republic of Cyprus. The Resolutions demand, inter alia, 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 respect to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cyprus. In its Judgment on the 4th Interstate Application of Cyprus v. Turkey on May 10th, 2001, the European Court of Human Rights found Turkey guilty of continuous violations of human rights in Cyprus. The said Judgment is reinforced by the Judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of May 12th, 2014, whereby the Court held that Turkey was to pay &\SUXV ț PLOOLRQ LQ UHVSHFW RI WKH QRQ SHFXQLDU\ GDPDJH VXΊHUHG E\ WKH UHODWLYHV RI WKH PLVVLQJ SHUVRQV DQG ț PLOOLRQ LQ UHVSHFW RI WKH QRQ SHFXQLDU\ GDPDJH VXΊHUHG E\ the enclaved Greek Cypriots residents of the Karpas peninsula. A new round of negotiations, aiming at a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem, was initiated in September 2013. As all previous ones, it had been conducted XQGHU WKH DXVSLFHV RI WKH 81 6HFUHWDU\ *HQHUDOȆV *RRG 2FHV 0LVVLRQ 2Q )HEUXDU\ • 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 RI WKRXVDQGV RI 7XUNLVK &\SULRWV IURP WKH LVODQG DIWHU WKH 7XUNLVK LQYDVLRQ $V D UHVXOW Turkish Cypriots are now vastly outnumbered by troops and settlers from Turkey, thus FRQVWLWXWLQJ WKH PLQRULW\ LQ WKH RFFXSLHG DUHDV • The usurpation of Greek Cypriot properties continues through the illegal construction on Greek Cypriot land and the illegal sale of property owned by Greek Cypriots, who ZHUH IRUFLEO\ H[SHOOHG IURP WKHLU KRPHV • Priceless religious and archaeological treasures – part of the world’s cultural heritage – are still in danger, while many churches, monuments, cemeteries and archaeological VLWHV KDYH EHHQ GHVWUR\HG GHVHFUDWHG RU YDQGDOL]HG 0DQ\ PRQXPHQWV LQ WKH RFFXSLHG part of Cyprus have been targeted for deliberate destruction and more than 60 000 cultural objects have been smuggled and LOOHJDOO\ VROG DEURDG 0RUH WKDQ FKXUFKHV and monasteries have been looted, destroyed or desecrated and more than 20 000 icons, sacred vessels, gospels and other objects have GLVDSSHDUHG &KXUFKHV KDYH EHHQ WXUQHG LQWR mosques, museums, places of entertainment, hotels, army barracks, storages and even barns and their invaluable icons and frescoes ZHUH UHPRYHG DQG LOOHJDOO\ VROG DEURDG $ VHULHV RI 81 *HQHUDO $VVHPEO\ DQG 6HFXULW\ &RXQFLO 5HVROXWLRQV DV ZHOO DV 5HVROXWLRQV DGRSWHG E\ QXPHURXV RWKHU LQWHUQDWLRQDO RUJDQL]DWLRQV UHΌHFW WKH XQLYHUVDO condemnation of Turkey’s invasion and all subsequent acts of aggression against the Republic of Cyprus. The Resolutions demand, inter alia, 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 respect to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cyprus. In its Judgment on the 4th Interstate Application of Cyprus v. Turkey on May 10th, 2001, the European Court of Human Rights found Turkey guilty of continuous violations of human rights in Cyprus. The said Judgment is reinforced by the Judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of May 12th, 2014, whereby the Court held that Turkey was to pay &\SUXV ț PLOOLRQ LQ UHVSHFW RI WKH QRQ SHFXQLDU\ GDPDJH VXΊHUHG E\ WKH UHODWLYHV RI WKH PLVVLQJ SHUVRQV DQG ț PLOOLRQ LQ UHVSHFW RI WKH QRQ SHFXQLDU\ GDPDJH VXΊHUHG E\ the enclaved Greek Cypriots residents of the Karpas peninsula. 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the leaders of the two communities adopted a joint declaration which, inter alia, UHDUPHG WKH EDVLV RI D VHWWOHPHQW QDPHO\ D EL ]RQDO EL FRPPXQDO IHGHUDWLRQ ZLWK SROLWLFDO HTXDOLW\ DV VHW RXW LQ WKH UHOHYDQW 6HFXULW\ &RXQFLO 5HVROXWLRQV DQG WKH +LJK /HYHO $JUHHPHQWV ,W DOVR UHDUPHG WKDW DQ\ VHWWOHPHQW VKRXOG HQVXUH WKH FRPPRQ IXWXUH RI all Cypriots within the EU. )URP 0D\ WR -XQH QHJRWLDWLRQV SURFHHGHG LQWHQVLYHO\ DQG VLJQLFDQW SURJUHVV was reached on an important number of issues. 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Message from the President of the Republic, Mr Nikos Christodoulides, on the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion 6DGO\ WKLV \HDU LV PDUNHG E\ D JULP PLOHVWRQH IRU RXU FRXQWU\ ,W PDUNV IW\ \HDUV VLQFH WKH tragic summer of 1974 which divided Cyprus – and our souls – in two. That tragic summer profoundly left its mark on the lives and future of our homeland. Fifty years have passed since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, with all its devastating FRQVHTXHQFHV DQG LQΌLFWHG VXΊHULQJ 7KH RFFXS\LQJ WURRSV WKH VHSDUDWLRQ DQG ORQJ WHUP division of the land and its people. The brutal murders, the rapes, the unjust loss of hundreds of lives, amongst them children, the violent uprooting of thousands of families from their domicile. Fifty years of inquiring about the fate of our missing persons. Fifty years of ongoing, illegal military occupation of more than 36% of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus. Fifty years of violating fundamental freedoms and human rights of all Cypriots. Fifty years of illegal settlement, demographic, religious and cultural alteration of our land in the occupied areas. Fifty years is far too long. ,W LV WLPH IRU SHDFH OLEHUDWLRQ DQG IRU WKH UHXQLFDWLRQ RI RXU FRXQWU\ ,W LV RXU GXW\ DQG obligation to bequeath a free, reunited and prosperous homeland to our children, a member state of the European Union, where fundamental freedoms are safeguarded and defended, as it is the case in all member states of the European Union. It is our duty to do so on behalf of the thousands who have heroically lost their lives whilst defending the Republic of Cyprus on the front lines. To all those who remain enclaved in the occupied areas despite adversities and continuous hardship. $V WKH UVW 3UHVLGHQW RI WKH 5HSXEOLF RI &\SUXV ERUQ RQO\ D IHZ PRQWKV EHIRUH WKH 7XUNLVK LQYDVLRQ DQG UDLVHG LQ D GH IDFWR GLYLGHG &\SUXV P\ YLVLRQ LV WKH UHXQLFDWLRQ RI P\ FRXQWU\ and its people, so that we can all live in peace, security and prosperity. I have been serving WKLV YLVLRQ IURP WKH YHU\ UVW GD\ , DVVXPHG P\ GXWLHV DQG , DVVXUH \RX WKDW , ZLOO FRQWLQXH WR work towards this end with assertive realism, fortitude and determination. My aim is none other than achieving a viable and lasting solution on the basis of a bizonal, ELFRPPXQDO IHGHUDWLRQ ZLWK SROLWLFDO HTXDOLW\ DV GHQHG E\ UHOHYDQW 8QLWHG 1DWLRQV Security Council Resolutions and within the framework of the principles and values of the European Union. This is the only way forward for a prosperous future for us and our children, in a modern European state with a substantial role and voice in regional and European developments, for a homeland without barbed wires and occupying troops. Message from the President of the Republic, Mr Nikos Christodoulides, on the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion 6DGO\ WKLV \HDU LV PDUNHG E\ D JULP PLOHVWRQH IRU RXU FRXQWU\ ,W PDUNV IW\ \HDUV VLQFH WKH tragic summer of 1974 which divided Cyprus – and our souls – in two. 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Fifty years is far too long. ,W LV WLPH IRU SHDFH OLEHUDWLRQ DQG IRU WKH UHXQLFDWLRQ RI RXU FRXQWU\ ,W LV RXU GXW\ DQG obligation to bequeath a free, reunited and prosperous homeland to our children, a member state of the European Union, where fundamental freedoms are safeguarded and defended, as it is the case in all member states of the European Union. It is our duty to do so on behalf of the thousands who have heroically lost their lives whilst defending the Republic of Cyprus on the front lines. To all those who remain enclaved in the occupied areas despite adversities and continuous hardship. $V WKH UVW 3UHVLGHQW RI WKH 5HSXEOLF RI &\SUXV ERUQ RQO\ D IHZ PRQWKV EHIRUH WKH 7XUNLVK LQYDVLRQ DQG UDLVHG LQ D GH IDFWR GLYLGHG &\SUXV P\ YLVLRQ LV WKH UHXQLFDWLRQ RI P\ FRXQWU\ and its people, so that we can all live in peace, security and prosperity. I have been serving WKLV YLVLRQ IURP WKH YHU\ UVW GD\ , DVVXPHG P\ GXWLHV DQG , DVVXUH \RX WKDW , ZLOO FRQWLQXH WR work towards this end with assertive realism, fortitude and determination. My aim is none other than achieving a viable and lasting solution on the basis of a bizonal, ELFRPPXQDO IHGHUDWLRQ ZLWK SROLWLFDO HTXDOLW\ DV GHQHG E\ UHOHYDQW 8QLWHG 1DWLRQV Security Council Resolutions and within the framework of the principles and values of the European Union. This is the only way forward for a prosperous future for us and our children, in a modern European state with a substantial role and voice in regional and European developments, for a homeland without barbed wires and occupying troops.
PIO 61/2024 – 15.000 Published by the Press and Information Office Printed by the Government Printing Office
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