The mayor and a delegation of the Municipality of Famagusta had contacts with officials of the Commission, the European External Action Service (EYED-EEAS) and members of the European Parliament yesterday in Brussels. Specifically, the Mayor of Famagusta Dr. Simos Ioannou, the Deputy Mayor Chrysanthos Zannettos and the municipal councilor Costas Hatzikakou, met the head and executives of the unit on Turkey, in the General Directorate of Enlargement and six Cypriot MEPs.
The aim of the contacts was, as the Mayor of Famagusta stated at a press conference in Brussels, to inform these executives and organizations in the context of the Municipality's effort to deal with the accomplishments that are being attempted to be created in the besieged city by the Turkish Cypriot side.
The delegation of the Municipality, as explained by Dr. Simos Ioannou briefed her EU interlocutors on the provisions of UN Resolutions 789 and 550 and raised the issue of Turkish moves in the wider context of developments in relation to illegal activity in the EEZ, as well as military intervention in northern Syria, clarifying that "These acts are not in line with a candidate country wishing to become an EU Member State."
According to the Mayor, the interlocutors from the Commission and the EEAS knew the issues very well, the meetings lasted about 45 minutes and their help was officially requested.
The Mayor and the delegation of the Municipality explained to the community interlocutors that their relations with the Turkish Cypriots of Famagusta "were and should always be harmonious", in order to "taste the natural beauties and the economic prosperity" that the region offers to in the context of the Cyprus problem. They even explained why Famagusta is closed and that the accomplishments that Turkey is trying to create should not be accepted by the EU.
The Mayor informed the Press that the scheduled meeting with the Chairman of the EP Committee on Petitions (PETI) was postponed due to a problem with the departure of the President on a flight from Barcelona to Brussels, and announced that a meeting with the Vice-Chairman of the same Committee would take place tomorrow. (Tatjana Zdanoka - Greens) and EP Vice President Dimitris Papadimoulis.
He noted that "we had a constructive meeting with the Cypriot MEPs", who expressed their full support and stated that they will do everything they can on the issue of Famagusta.
The Mayor stated that it is important to find a way to use the relevant resolutions and recommendations, welcoming Akinci's statements that the only solution for Famagusta is the return of Greek Cypriots to the UN, "which was clear" and contradicts the Ozersay and clarifying that "the issue is not to disrupt the status quo in a way that is not provided for in the UN resolutions", as such a thing would mean "the closure of the Cyprus issue."
In relation to the Turkish aspirations, he noted that "what they are interested in is the coastal front" and "they want to put Greek Cypriots in the game". He noted that the Famagusta case is "even clearer than the issue of the EEZ" and welcomed the reaffirmation of the content of resolutions 789 and 550 by the Security Council.
Today there are scheduled meetings with Martin Schirdewan (President of the United Left) Christine
Darling Jude, Coordinator of the Socialists and Democrats and Yana Toom 2nd Vice President of PETI, but also Emmanuel Frango, ECR Coordinator at PETI.
