-
.
- Ελληνικά
[/QUOTE]
"There are no more closed Varosha. The city has been opened," Ersin Tatar said last week in a television interview from quarantine. A stabbing phrase in the heart of those romantics who believe this battle is not yet lost. This is only on paper, because unfortunately the deeds show otherwise.
The UN has chosen to remain a spectator to the creation of a fait accompli in an area which, according to Security Council resolutions, should be opened to legal residents and owners, in the first instance under the control of the Organization. The Turks have not found the slightest substantial resistance to the attempt they began some years ago to Turkify Varosha.
With this air, they declare today that they have begun to examine the few dozen applications made to the so-called "Compensation Committee" concerning the hitherto enclosed town. After ensuring that the EBKAF, which considers that it owns most of Varosha, will have a say and the right to object.
The Turks are proceeding with precision to implement a plan according to which within the next eight years the entire area will be opened up under Turkish Cypriot administration. Within a year and a half they opened the beach, built a road network and proceeded to open the parish of St. Nicholas, which constitutes 3.5% of Varosha.
[BR]Blocking the CBMs
These plans for Varosha, alongside the moves for recognition of the pseudo-state, are behind Ersin Tatar's refusal to accept Nicos Anastasiades' proposal for the Confidence Building Measures. The Greek Cypriot side proposes that Varosha be returned to its legal inhabitants in exchange for the operation of the airport of Tymbos and the port of Famagusta.
A possible agreement would contribute greatly to the much desired - for them - lifting of the isolation of Turkish Cypriots. It is clearly in the interest of both communities on the island, unlike Turkey which has nothing to gain from it. But for Tatar, what matters to him is not what the Turkish Cypriots who call on him to accept the proposal say, but what Ankara tells him to do.
It should be noted that a similar proposal to the one the Turkish Cypriot leader fanatically rejects was tabled at the dialogue table a few years ago by Mustafa Akinci. At that time it had not gone ahead as it was hoped that these issues would form part of the overall settlement, which was very close at the time.
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
Source
