Critical juncture for the Cyprus problem

By Stavri Kalopsidiotou*

Turkish provocations of the Republic of Cyprus are unfortunately not over.

The recent EU summit may have noted in its conclusions that we are in a period of de-escalation in the Eastern Mediterranean, but that does not at all reflect what is going on in Cyprus.

The illegal actions of the Turkish side in the ghost city of Varosha, in which Turkish-Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar and the Turkish prime minister are playing a leading role, are in fact escalating.

Yet, it would be wrong and irresponsible to view the violation of international law, of UN Security Council resolutions 550 and 789, and of the interim status quo of the area as just another routine Turkish provocation.

The effort to further change the situation on the ground aims at deepening and cementing the de facto partition of the island.

This is being plotted through preparations for the illegal settlement of Varosha and/or an invitation to the families of the city's legal, Greek Cypriot residents [who were forced out during the 1974 Turkish invasion] to return and live under the occupation regime.

Undoubtedly, these plans overturn all that has been agreed to in the past.

They dispute the draft plan for resolving the issue of a return of territory [to the Greek Cypriots, which has been a key part of past settlement efforts] that the Turkish Cypriot side had itself in the past tabled, which is contrary to the framework adopted by the UN Secretary General on 30 June, 2017. In other words they are attempting unilaterally to determine a priori important facets of any solution and are undermining any prospect a successful conclusion of settlement talks.

The dilemma confronted by the Greek Cypriot leadership in the shadow of these...