The resumption of the dialogue to resolve the Cyprus problem and the return of the city of Famagusta to its legal residents is requested by the Government in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Pan-Cypriot Refugee Union, on the occasion of the July anniversaries.
At the sound of sirens on July 15 and July 20, our memory turns once again to the two black anniversaries of 1974, states the PEP, adding that almost half a century later the occupation continues and Cyprus is still divided in two, with the illegal settlement of the occupied territories increasing day by day, as well as the illegal exploitation of properties, the fate of hundreds of our missing people has not been ascertained, while most first generation refugees have emigrated to God with the woe of returning and thousands of other fellow citizens are away from their ancestral homes watching, helpless and unaided by the state, the encroachment and plundering of their properties.
In this gloomy scenario, the increasing provocative actions of the occupying regime as well as the ongoing violations of international legality and UN resolutions by Turkey are added, the announcement continues, adding that the harassment and incidents of invasion of the Cypriot EEZ, the promotion of illegal of migrants through the cease-fire line and the announcements that seamlessly turn into actionable actions on the ground, and especially in the closed city of Famagusta, create fait accompli to which there is no reaction.
"The World Refugee Union again expresses its concern and calls on the Government to focus and intensify its actions and representations to the members of the Security Council of the United Nations, the member states of the European Union and the neighboring countries, in order to implement the UN resolutions that provide for the handover of the city to its legal residents, but also especially for the resumption of dialogue to resolve the problem", it is emphasized.
It is added that the refugee world of Cyprus, the displaced as well as the alienated, victims of a violent invasion and ongoing occupation by Turkey, continue the struggle for justice and return and proclaim our will and determination to find a just, sustainable and functional solution which will stand the test of time and ensure the end of the occupation, remove the invasive rights and foreign guarantees, bring about the removal of the Turkish occupying troops and lead to a substantial reunification of our homeland as a federal state within the EU, with one international personality, one undivided sovereignty, one citizenship.
At the same time, it is underlined that it demands the implementation of the equal distribution of burdens and expects the new Government to start implementing an integrated refugee policy, which includes those who have not received any support to date, while it once again expresses its opposition to the use of funds which have been collected from the purchase and sale of real estate and shares (0,4%) for the exemption of loans from state guarantees.
The PEP states that it also expects the promotion of proportionate compensation to owners for the loss of use of their occupied properties and recognizes the difficulty and financial figures required in this direction, noting that studies have been carried out and scenarios have been presented to the relevant ministries and that it is up to the President of the Republic to be informed and give the necessary instructions and political directions for implementation.
Source: KYPE