According to a statement, in a meeting with the European Commission Representative in Cyprus Myrto Zambarta, Mr. Fotiou said that the EU has the ability and capacity to take humanitarian initiatives both inside and outside Cyprus in order to achieve progress that will help end the pain and anguish of the families.
We expect and hope, he noted, that humanitarian initiatives on the part of the EU will be taken as soon as possible.
The situation, Fotiou noted, is tragic and immediate humanitarian initiatives are urgently needed for the benefit of the suffering families. The problems, he stressed, are many and complex. In recent years there has been a dramatic decrease in the identification of remains during exhumations and a consequent decrease in the number of DNA identifications.
"It is well known that without the sincere, substantial and effective cooperation of the occupying power, no progress can or should be expected.Turkey should finally cooperate and indicate the sites where the dead were buried from the recoveries made from the battlefields, as well as the sites where the remains that were deliberately moved from the primary burial sites were reburied." Fotiou, stressing that "we consider it necessary to open the records of the Turkish army and to remove the obstacles and restrictions that still exist on exhumations and searches in areas arbitrarily designated by the occupying army as military."
In conclusion, Fotiou expressed the thanks and gratitude of the Government and himself for the help and support so far in the efforts to resolve the tragedy of the missing persons and their families.
During the meeting, the Commissioner also briefed Ms. Zabarta on the difficulties and problems faced by our stranded people, as well as on the actions and initiatives of his Office on issues of expatriates and religious groups.
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