The Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the UN, Ambassador Andreas D. Mavrogiannis, sent a letter dated October 11, 2019, to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. António Guterres, referring to the actions of the illegal Turkish occupation regime and the ongoing of the enclosed city of Varos in violation of the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.
The letter was released yesterday (22.10.19) as an official document of the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council, with number A / 74/400-S / 2019/815.
Mr. Mavrogiannis notes in his letter that the Government of the Republic of Cyprus has repeatedly drawn the attention of the United Nations to its concerns about the continuing Turkish threats to open the enclosed area of Varosia. At the request of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, the issue of Varosia was discussed in the Security Council, which issued on 9 October 2019, a statement to the Press noting that the members of the Council "recalled the importance of the Varosia regime as expressed in previous Resolutions of the Security Council, including Resolutions 550 (1984) and 789 (1992), and reiterated that no action should be taken against Varoshas who do not comply with these Resolutions ".
In addition, he points out that the special status of Varos has been determined by various provisions, which were either adopted directly by the Security Council or approved by it. The framework for the return of Varos to its legal inhabitants is set out in the 1979 High Level Agreement, which was welcomed by the Security Council in Resolution 482 (1980), as well as Resolutions 550 (1984), 789 (1992) and 2483 (2019).
The Permanent Representative also stressed that the separate status of Varos, as an area under the control of the Turkish army and an area in which Turkey has sole control and responsibility, is recognized in several reports of the Secretary-General, which confirm "The UN continues to hold the Turkish Government accountable for the status quo in Varos." It is recalled that the city was occupied, and its inhabitants were violently expelled, during the second phase of the Turkish military invasion in 1974, looted and fenced by the Turkish army, which to this day has exclusive access to the city.
The letter also emphasizes that the Government of the Republic of Cyprus expects the Government of Turkey and its illegitimate administration in the occupied part of Cyprus to comply with the clear calls of the Security Council to respect the special regime of Varos. Actions that may adversely affect the right of return and the property right of the legal residents of the city should be avoided. He also added that the Turkish government is expected to stop threatening statements by senior officials about opening the enclave of Varos and violating Security Council Resolutions by conducting surveillance studies on its assets.
Mr. Mavrogiannis notes in his letter that the Government of the Republic of Cyprus will continue to make every effort to return Varosia to its legal residents under the auspices of the United Nations, in accordance with the relevant Resolutions of the Security Council and the High Agreement. 1979. Emphasizes, in addition, the Cypriot Government's belief that such an action would serve as a tangible confidence-building measure, which could go a long way towards creating a climate for the resumption of the peace process leading to the in a fair and lasting overall settlement of the Cyprus problem.
Famagusta.News