The Commission, which is in line with Ankara's position, believes that the return of the besieged city of Famagusta will take place only in the context of a total of three years. solution to the Cyprus problem.
The Commission does not hesitate to bypass the resolutions of the SA. but also the positions of the European Parliament, which over time is in favor of the immediate return of Varos to its legal residents, in the context of its resolutions on Turkey, on an annual basis.
The Commission on the Cyprus issue, Kjartan Bjornsson, stated: "The return of the besieged city of Varos, Famagusta, to its rightful owners is expected to be one of the key elements in the negotiations leading to a comprehensive and sustainable settlement of the Cyprus problem, under the auspices of the United Nations ". The EU official "The Commission wishes to reiterate that a comprehensive settlement to be agreed between the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus is the shortest and also the most immediate way to resolve the Cyprus issue, including the return of the of Varosia to their rightful owners ".
One would expect that Mr Bjornsson and the Commission would consider that "the shortest and most immediate way" for the Varosians to return to their rightful owners would be for Turkey to comply with US resolutions. which, however, Ankara writes on the soles of its shoes. However, instead of calling for the UN resolutions to be implemented, the Commission and the Juncker group on the Cyprus issue identify with the Turkish position, arguing that the besieged city of Famagusta will be returned to its legal inhabitants with a comprehensive solution. Cyprus. In order to gild the Nicosia pill, Mr. Bjornsson took care to add the following: "The Commission is ready to support relevant confidence-building measures that will be proposed by both sides, including in relation to Varosi". In other words, the Commission washes its hands of Varosi, writes down the resolutions of the SA. The UN, as Ankara does, notes that only if and when both sides request a UNM could they be supported by Brussels.
Bjornsoon's stance on Varosi is of particular interest, as it took place in the context of the European Parliament's Committee on Petitions, which called on the Commission and the Member States to take the lead in securing a new US resolution, with a view to enforcing policies and economic sanctions against Ankara as a result of its refusal to cede the besieged city of Famagusta to the UN and its aggression in the eastern Mediterranean;
Bjornsson's position "lands abnormally" any efforts made to bring Varosia back to the EU agenda and shows that in this case, too, the Juncker group agrees "quite coincidentally" with the Turkish point of view.
It is noted that, unlike the Commission, the European Parliament calls for the start of the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Cyprus and the immediate return of Varos to the UN, positions that will be sought to be restated in this year's resolution of this House. The Committee on Petitions, in its draft report, "calls on the Commission, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council of the EU. and all EU countries submit a new resolution to the UN Security Council calling for political and economic sanctions against Turkey for its acts of aggression in the eastern Mediterranean and for its non-compliance with UN Security Council Resolutions 550 (1984) and 789 (1992); ».
Who is who
This is not the first time that the head of the Commission for the settlement of the Cyprus issue, Kjartan Bjornsson, has provoked with his positions. He blamed President Anastasiadis for the Crans Montana shipwreck, describing it as a good summary of a Cyprus Mail article claiming that the leader of the Greek Cypriot side shook a very good deal in the air at the Swiss resort. As revealed by the newspaper "Phileleftheros", Nicosia took a step towards the Commission for Mr. Kjartan Bjornsson, receiving a written apology.
Mr Bjornsson, however, continues to carry out his duties with the same zeal and to maintain his post as head of the Commission for the Settlement of the Cyprus Problem, which obviously reflects the role that Brussels wants to play in resolving the problem. .
The Commission has for many years identified with the Turkish position and argues that the return of Varosia is part of a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem, bypassing the resolutions of the SA. requesting its immediate return. Exactly 5 years ago, Nicosia had asked the then EU Enlargement Commissioner, Stefan Fule, to transfer to Ankara a proposal for the return of Varosia in exchange for conducting direct trade from the port of the city, under the EU. . and the parallel thawing of Turkish negotiating funds. However, the bearer of the Nicosia proposal, not only did not transport it to Ankara, but proceeded to dismantle it, provoking the reaction of the then Foreign Minister I. Kasoulidis and the holding of a protest.
Let us remember how the Commission then answered questions from "F":
Questions "F": "What is the position of the Commission on the occupied-enclosed city of Famagusta? Should it be returned in accordance with Security Council Resolution 550, or do you consider the Famagusta issue to be part of a comprehensive solution, as Turkey claims? Also, as I am informed, the Cypriot side asked the Commission to include the issue of Famagusta in the progress report on Turkey, as an obligation of the candidate country, as follows from UN Security Council Resolution 550. Do you confirm this information and why was it not included in the progress report "(Famagusta issue)?
Commission reply: "The return of the enclaves of Varos, Famagusta, to their rightful inhabitants is part of the negotiations for a comprehensive solution between the two communities under the auspices of the United Nations. It is up to the leaders of the two communities to find an agreement on the return of Famagusta to its rightful inhabitants. "This issue highlights once again the need to achieve a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem."
This is how the Barroso Commission responded in October 2013 to "F". In a similar way, the Commission of the "friend" of Nicosia, Juncker, in 2018, through the head of the Cyprus issue, Kjartan Bjornsson, before the Committee on Petitions of the European Parliament.
Source: Liberal