Cyprus Foreign Minister, Nikos Christodoulides, met on Friday with the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations who is paying a visit to Cyprus with whom he discussed about the latest developments in relation to the Cyprus problem, the fenced-off city of Famagusta and the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).
The Foreign Ministry said in a post on its Twitter account that FM Christodoulides met this morning the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Lacroix with discussions focusing on latest developments in relation to the Cyprus problem, Varosha and UNFICYP.
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.
Varosha, the fenced off section of the Turkish occupied town of Famagusta, is often described as a ‘ghost town’. UN Security Council resolution 550 (1984) considers any attempts to settle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible and calls for the transfer of this area to the administration of the UN. UN Security Council resolution 789 (1992) also urges that with a view to the implementation of resolution 550 (1984), the area at present under the control of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus be extended to include Varosha.
On October 8, 2020, the Turkish side opened part of the fenced area of Varosha, following an announcement made in Ankara on October 6. Both the UN Secretary-General and the EU expressed concern, while the UN Security Council called for the reversal of this course of action.