Mayor of Turkish occupied town of Famagusta, Alexis Galanos, in statements to CNA on Monday, expressed reserved optimism and hope that the discussion surrounding Famagusta will yield results and talks will reach a point where a solution can be put to the people in a referendum.
Invited to comment on reports in both the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot press that Famagusta might be included in possible Confidence Building Measures, Galanos said “we are working towards this and hope that things will progress”.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied the island’s northern third. During a meeting on the 11th of February 2014 in Nicosia the two community leaders, Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, marked the resumption of the stalled UN-led peace talks. The talks were interrupted in 2012 by the Turkish side when the Republic of Cyprus assumed the EU Presidency.
Galanos cautioned against being too optimistic as there is a risk that nothing might happen in the end, as in the past.
“We do not want to give people false hopes because if things do not progress, something which I hope will not happen, it will be very disappointing yet again. So we are dealing with the issue with reserved optimism and hope things will be positive”.
Galanos said that he is in touch with the so-called Turkish Cypriot mayor of the Turkish occupied town Oktay Kayalp, adding it is a matter of political decision which will be taken either at decision making centres or at the negotiating table.
He also said that “although we talk about the fenced off area of Famagusta, we are always talking about the entire town. I am the mayor of all Famagusta.”
He stressed that now is not the time to claim “either everything or nothing. This is a beginning. Statements like ‘either everything or nothing’ are for those who do not want progress. We want to see progress in Cyprus, a viable solution and we do not want to torpedo anything right from the start”.
Galanos said he attended yesterday’s church service at Agios Exorinos in Famagusta, adding that a lot of people were there. “There was enthusiasm, following the decision to resume talks and after Barack Obama’s statements on Famagusta, which I consider very important”, said Galanos.
Commenting on the start of the negotiations, Obama had said that “the United States will engage in diplomacy with all stakeholders to explore possible initiatives to reinforce settlement negotiations, including measures aimed at the future revitalization of the Famagusta region, when agreed by the two communities”.
Things are different today, said Galanos when asked to compare with 2004 when the overwhelming majority of Greek Cypriots rejected a UN-proposed solution plan, the Annan Plan, in a referendum.
The town of Famagusta has been under Turkish occupation since the 1974 Turkish invasion. The fenced off area of the town, called Varosha, has remained uninhabited, abandoned to the elements. It remains to this day under the control of the Turkish military, in spite of repeated UN calls for its return to UN administration to enable the return of its lawful inhabitants. The walled city of Famagusta, close to the city port on the eastern coast, is inhabited by Turkish Cypriots and Turkish settlers
