Greece will never accept the legitimization of the fait accompli in Cyprus, “to which we now see being added, in a provocative manner, the flagrant violation by the Turkish side of the International Law of the Sea in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus, which is a sovereign state and a member of the UN and the European Union,” a press release issued on Saturday by the Greek Foreign Ministry said.
The press release noted that “the unilateral declaration of the illegal secessionist entity of the pseudo-state in the occupied section of the Republic of Cyprus and the insistence for 31 years now on the fabrication that is the `TRNC` is a blatant flouting of the international legal order and the resolutions of the United Nations.
This illegal conduct, in combination with the ongoing military occupation and illegal settlement, contributes to both the violation of the human rights of Cypriot citizens and the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community,” it added. It said that “with one well-known exception (that of Turkey), the international community fully respects the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus.
And it considers legally void the declaration of the secessionist entity, which it neither recognizes, nor facilitates, nor supports in any way.” “It has to become clear to everyone that the restoration of the international legal order and the reunification of Cyprus within the framework of a comprehensive, mutually acceptable, functional solution based on the UN resolutions, on the High-Level Agreements of 1977 and 1979, on the February 2014 Joint Communiqué, and on Cyprus’s capacity as a member state of the EU is the only way to restore international legality in Cyprus – benefitting all Cypriots, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots – and to strengthen peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean,” the press release concluded.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. In November 1983, Turkey instigated and endorsed a “unilateral declaration of independence” in the occupied area by the Turkish Cypriot leadership. The self-styled Turkish Cypriot regime has not been recognized by anyone other than Turkey, which exercises effective control over Cyprus’ occupied areas. UN Security Council resolutions 541 (1983) and 550 (1984) categorically condemned this unilateral action, declared it legally invalid, called for its withdrawal, and called on all UN member-states not to recognize this illegal entity. The EU and other international and regional organizations have adopted similar positions.
