50 years since the Turkish invasion - CYPRUS, still occupied, still divided

• 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 2΍FHV 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. 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 2΍FHV 0LVVLRQ 2Q )HEUXDU\

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