The Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) in Cyprus has decided to review the statistical correlation of genetic results with those of relatives of missing persons the cases of whom were identified at The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics in the period between 2007 and 2012. The process will take place at the US BODE forensics laboratory.

CMP Greek Cypriot member Nestoras Nestoros told CNA that the decision was taken in January, following a 2009 mistake in the identification of a missing person by the Cyprus Institute, which was discovered in 2016.

According to Nestoros up until 2010 the Institute did not carry out a statistical correlation of the remains with the genealogical data base of relatives of missing persons, according to international practice.

He said that the change in process relates to 334 cases of the period between 2007-2012. The first phase of the process is expected to take up to three months. Then each case will be reviewed separately so that the statistical correlation can be confirmed to 99.95%.

Nestoros said that the identification process at the Cyprus Institute was based solely on genetic data because there were no anthropological data due to the small number of bones being exhumated.

He called on the relatives of missing persons to be patient until all the necessary actions are taken by CMP, assuring that there is no reason for them to be concerned and that they will be informed accordingly. .

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of this EU – Mediterranean island state. A Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) was established, upon agreement between the leaders of the island`s two communities, with the scope of exhuming, identifying and returning the remains of missing persons to their relatives.

According to CMP figures, the remains of 1192 people were exhumed by the end of 2016. Seven hundred forty missing persons were identified by December 31st, 2016.