Despite adversities and the refusal of the Turkish side to cooperate, the Greek Cypriot side, through the President of the Republic, remains committed to the effort to return to dialogue, Interior Minister Constantinou Ioannou said on Sunday.
Speaking at an annual memorial service for the fallen during the 1974 Turkish invasion, in Psimolofou, a community close to the capital, Nicosia, Ioannou said that the Greek Cypriot side is pursuing through targeted moves the resumption of negotiations and a settlement of the Cyprus problem on the basis of the agreed framework, international and European law, which will safeguard the fundamental freedoms and rights of all Cypriot people.
The Minister also said that for 50 years, our efforts to find a functional and viable solution on the basis of a bizonal bicommunal federation have met with the intransigence of the Turkish side and its unacceptable demands for a two-state solution, adding that the fait accompli that Turkey is trying to create on the island and the cu
rrent state of affairs are not an option and in no way can this be the future of our country and our people.
Referring to the missing persons, he said that it is the most tragic aspect of the Cyprus problem, noting that “fifty years later, in a state that has been part of the great European family for 20 years, dozens of families live every day waiting for the return of their loved ones. In European Cyprus, the effort to ascertain the fate of the last missing person is hindered by the refusal of the Turkish side to cooperate and to indicate burial sites, finally putting an end to the agony of their relatives.”
Defence Minister awards War Medals
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Meanwhile, the State decided to award the War Medal to the eligible officers who served in the National Guard during the Turkish invasion in 1974 and to the relatives of those who have passed. The award was presented by the Minister of Defence, Vassilis Palmas, during a ceremony on Sunday morning, in Nicosia.
Every medal awarded, the
Minister said, is “an eternal symbol of recognition for their contribution”. He noted that awarding these medals manifests the practical expression of the State’s gratitude for what they have done and for the example they have set for future generations.
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. Since then, the fate of hundreds of people remains unknown. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
Source: Cyprus News Agency