An action plan on missing persons in Cyprus that was approved last Wednesday by the Cabinet would be put into effect immediately, Presidential Commissioner Photis Photiou said on Friday.

Photiou said the plan is based on two pillars, that is diplomacy and research.

With regard to the first pillar, he explained that Cyprus would step up efforts to convince other countries and international organizations, such as the EU and the UN, to exert pressure on Turkey to cooperate. The reason why the results of the efforts of the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus to locate more remains of missing persons in the occupied areas are “poor” is because Turkey does not cooperate, Photiou noted.

“The key to the solution of the humanitarian issue of the missing persons is there” he said.

The second pillar, he continued, has to do with a more effective research strategy. The aim, according to Photiou, is to utilize information and testimonies, obtain new information and testimonies, study important archives of other countries, such as countries that maintained contingents in the UNFICYP, and study UN and Red Cross records.

This action plan is for 2019, he said, and will be put into effect immediately with the participation of all the necessary services of the state to achieve this goal.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied its northern third. Since then, the fate of hundreds of people remains unknown.

A Committee on Missing Persons has been established, upon agreement between the leaders of the two communities, with the scope of exhuming, identifying and returning the remains of missing persons to their relatives.