Turkey bears a heavy responsibility as regards the humanitarian issue of the missing persons in Cyprus, Presidential Commissioner Fotis Fotiou has stressed.

He was speaking at the burial of the remains of Greek Cypriot Antonis Antoniou, who was executed by Turks during the invasion against Cyprus in 1974. His remains were found in a mass grave in 2009 and were identified recently with the DNA method.

Fotiou said that Turkey must finally undertake its responsibilities regarding the missing persons issue and allow access to the archives of the Turkish military where there is information about the whereabouts of a great number of missing persons.

He pointed out that around 1.000 Greek Cypriots and Greeks are still missing.

Concluding, he said that Antonis Antoniou had eight children, three of which died without ever being informed about the fate of their beloved father.

Cyprus is divided since 1974 by Turkish troops which since then occupy 37% of this EU island`s territory.

So far, out of the 1508 Greek Cypriots who went missing after the Turkish invasion in 1974, 518 individuals have been identified and returned to their families for proper burial.

UN brokered talks resumed in May 2015 aiming to reunite the island under a federal roof.

CNA/AAR/GCH 2016