The dispatch of humanitarian aid to the enclaved living in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus, through UNFICYP, the UN peace keeping force stationed on the island, is expected to start again in the next two weeks, Presidential Commissioner Photis Photiou has told CNA.
Photiou said that he came in touch with UNIFICYP which in turn contacted the so called “authorities” in the Turkish occupied areas which informed the peace keeping force that in the next two weeks they will proceed with the necessary process so that the dispatch of humanitarian aid will be able to start again.
The Presidential Commissioner pointed out that “we will wait and see what actually happens.” Furthermore, he assured that the competent state services are ready to resume the process of sending humanitarian help to the enclaved from the government-controlled areas of the island.
The process was suspended last autumn when the Turkish Cypriot “authorities” decided to impose “duties” on the goods dispatched. “Foreign minister” of the puppet regime Kudret Ozersay said last week that the puppet regime will lift the “duties”.
The Republic of Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.
At the end of the second phase of the Turkish invasion late in August 1974, about 20,000 Greek and Maronite Cypriots inhabiting in villages and townships primarily in the Karpas Peninsula of northeast Cyprus and in villages west of the city of Kyrenia remained behind the ceasefire line. Today, only a total of 437 (April 2013) persons remain behind the “green line,” of whom 328 are Greek Cypriot and 109 Maronite Cypriots. These persons are known as the “enclaved”.
Despite the Third Vienna Agreement, Turkey and its Turkish Cypriot subordinate regime in occupied Cyprus have violated all its terms. Since 1974, the enclaved have endured conditions of hardship and oppression because of their ethnicity, language and religion.
