Famagusta constitutes a blatant image of a derelict European ghost- city, which is daily destroyed by the ravages of time and the barbarity of Turkey, Mayor of this Turkish occupied town, Alexis Galanos has said, addressing the anti-occupation event organized by the Municipality of Famagusta.

The event, which took place at the Cultural Center of the Municipality of Famagusta, situated in Deryneia, reaffirmed once more the will of the legitimate inhabitants of Famagusta to return to their home town. Present at the event were Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides, the Mayor of Famagusta, the Mayor of Deryneia, the Bishop of Constantia – Famagusta, Greek MP Demetris Emmanouilides representing the President of the Hellenic Parliament, leaders and representatives of political parties and many others.

Not everyone, Galanos said in his speech, shares the optimism that we are close to a solution, noting that despite the efforts, the Turkish side and especially Ankara, demonstrates a harsh and intransigent stance.

He also denounced the Turkish actions to create new fait accompli in the occupied town of Morphou, thus `conveying the message that they do not intend to return it` to its legitimate inhabitants.

In addition, he referred to the violation of the religious rights of the Greek Cypriots in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus as well as to the establishment of a Turkish coordination office for the youth, despite the objections of the Turkish Cypriots.

Galanos also said that Ankara prepares the naturalisation – with vote rights – of a great number of illegal settlers, and questions Cyprus` sovereign rights in its Exclusive Economic Zone.
Every day, he pointed out, the dependence of the Turkish occupied areas on Turkey is increasing, saying that Ankara managed to control economically but also socially the lives of the Turkish Cypriots.

Unfortunately, this leads towards “annexation and not reunification”, he underlined.

“All the above are realities on the ground and I am not referring to them to simply minimize our determination or our will to return and build a new Cyprus for our children, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots”, Galanos said.

He conveyed to the Cypriot Foreign Minister his concern regarding Famagusta, saying that the priority of Famagusta should run in parallel to the Cyprus talks, in line with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, the European Parliament`s resolutions etc.

The town of Famagusta is not a priority, as it should be based on the UN resolutions, he said, adding that even a simple action, to send international experts (based on UN resolutions) to prepare a study on the reconstruction of the fenced off city of the town is not even being discussed by the Turkish Cypriot leader and is being linked to the opening of the illegal airport in the Turkish occupied areas with the aim to recognise the illegal state set up in the occupied areas and recognized only by Ankara.

Famagusta, Galanos said, `is a blatant image of a derelict European ghost- city, which is daily destroyed through the ravages of time and the barbarity of its conquerors`.
“We will never accept that Famagusta is turned into an undermined Confidence Building Measure, which is not even being discussed”, he concluded.

On behalf of the President of the Greek Parliament, Vice-chairman of the Greek House Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, Demetris Emmanouilides, said that it is imperative that Turkish troops withdraw from Cyprus especially after the coup d`etat in Turkey.

To this end, he added, we expect initiatives from Ankara.

He described the Turkish occupation of Cyprus as a painful wound for Hellenism, while referring to Famagusta, he said “we demand the immediate implementation of the relevant UN resolutions”.

Emmanouilides said that Greece follows closely the ongoing Cyprus talks, which are being carried out intensively and stressed that it “appears that convergences have been reached”.

The event began with an address from the Mayor of Deryneia Andros Karayiannis, who said that the solution must come from the people and pointed out the importance of the opening of the Deryneia crossing point as a Confidence Building Measure aiming at reunifying the island.

In his address, Bishop of Constantia-Famagusta Vasilios stressed that we will continue the struggle for justice and for the return to our occupied towns and villages, where Christians can freely exercise their religious rights.

Famagusta, after its occupation by Turkish troops on 16 August 1974 and after having been looted, was sealed off and since no one is allowed to enter the town. The term “ghost town” was coined by Swedish journalist Jan-Olof Bengtsson, who visited the Swedish UN battalion in the Famagusta port and gazing at the sealed off town, wrote in Kvallsposten (24.9.1977): “ The asphalt on the roads has cracked in the warm sun and along the sidewalks bushes are growing. Today-September 1977- the breakfast tables are still set, the laundry still hanging and the lamps still burning. Varosha is a ghost town.”

The UN Security Council adopted on 11 May 1984 resolution 550, which considers attempts to settle any part of Varosha (the fenced off area of Famagusta) by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible and calls for the transfer of this area to the administration of the United Nations.

The return of Famagusta to the United Nations as a buffer zone for resettlement is also requested by Security Council resolution 789 of 1992.