In a letter addressed to the President of the Security Council, Cyprus has denounced Turkey’s ongoing illegal exploitation of Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied areas of the Cyprus Republic, noting that Ankara systematically violates the international law and obstructs efforts for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue.
In the letter dated June 20, 2025, Cyprus’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Maria Michael, recalled that since the 1974 Turkish invasion, “Greek Cypriot owners of property in the occupied by Türkiye areas of the Republic of Cyprus are being denied access to, control, use and enjoyment of their property.” She underscored that this “undeniable fact was ruled by the ECHR in its relevant judgments of 2001 and 2014 in the interstate case Cyprus v. Turkey,” stressing that “Turkey to date has failed to comply with the Judgment.”
The letter follows a recent letter circulated by the Permanent Representative of Türkiye, dated June 10, which Cyprus firmly rebuts. Ambassador Michael stressed that Turkey has developed “an active policy for the sale and exploitation of those properties on an industrial scale,” describing it as “methodically and aggressively pursued over the years, in furtherance of Türkiye’s claims for a separate state on the island of Cyprus.” Such policies, she added, directly contravene “the principles of the inalienability of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus” and undermine the efforts of the UN Secretary-General to revive negotiations within the agreed framework endorsed by the Security Council.
Highlighting the absence of meaningful talks for the past eight years, the Cypriot ambassador emphasized that this has forced many Greek Cypriot property owners to seek recourse through legal channels against what she called “the unauthorised exploitation of their property, an action which is a criminal offence under the Cypriot Penal Code.” The Republic of Cyprus, she stressed, remains committed to “the principles of the rule of law, separation of powers and the protection of human rights, which are fundamental principles of all democratic societies.”
“Police authorities, in line with their duty to uphold the law, upon receipt of a formal complaint and depending, inter alia, on the facts and circumstances, may proceed with the conduct of a criminal investigation,” she noted, emphasizing that “these are fundamental principles for which no derogation can be made or be asked for.”
Michael stressed that “it is inconceivable that the perpetrator of criminal acts attempts to project itself as the victim of its own illegal actions. That, while at the same time, requesting an uninterrupted continuation of the said illegality in order to be able to continue deriving unlawful benefits”.
Cyprus called upon Turkey “to respect its obligations under the UN Charter,” reminding that as “an occupying power it remains bound by international human rights and humanitarian law.”
Ending the illegal exploitation of private property, the letter said, is essential to “building the confidence necessary for a successful process towards a just settlement of the Cyprus issue in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.”
Concluding, Cyprus urged the United Nations to “reject, as required by its role, the calls for sidelining lawfulness in order for the criminality to continue its well-designed plan.”
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
UN Secretary General announced that an informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format will be held at the end of July, following a similar meeting in Geneva, on March 17-18. The two sides agreed to proceed with a number of initiatives, involving the opening of crossing points, the creation of a Technical Committee on Youth and other initiatives in the buffer zone and throughout the island.
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres announced in early May the appointment of María Angela Holguín Cuéllar of Colombia as his Personal Envoy on Cyprus, who is tasked to reengage with the parties in order to work on next steps on the Cyprus issue and advise him. Holguín completed a previous assignment as Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General on Cyprus from January to July 2024.