Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Clarke Cooper is travelling to Cyprus on a working visit on Monday and he will hold talks with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs Nicos Christodoulides and Defense Charalambos Petrides.
CNA learned that the talks at the MFA will cover the US-Cyprus cooperation in the security sector. The two Ministers will discuss the next steps to enhance this cooperation. The provocations in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Cyprus problem and the illegal opening of the fenced off town of Varosha will also be on the agenda. Christodoulides spoke on the phone with US Secretary of State last week and he raised these issues.
The meeting with Christodoulides is set for 1100 local time and later on, at 1330 the US official will have talks with the Defense Minister.
The two Ministers will also visit the Joint Rescue and Coordination Center in Larnaka.
Moreover, the Austrian FM postponed his visit to Cyprus set for October 23 as he was tested positive for COVID-19. He also postponed his visits to the UK, Denmark and Greece.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.
Turkey issued a new illegal Navtex last Friday for seismic research by Turkish vessel “Barbaros” within Cyprus` Exclusive Economic Zone.
Ankara sent on several occasions its seismic research vessel ‘Barbaros’ to Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), following the Republic of Cyprus’ decision, in 2011, to start exploratory offshore drilling. After May 2019, Turkey caused a stir by sending consecutively two drill ships, “Fatih” and “Yavuz”, to conduct unauthorised drilling activities of hydrocarbons in the Eastern Mediterranean, at times in areas licensed by Cyprus to international energy companies.
The European Council reaffirmed its full solidarity with Cyprus, regarding the respect of its sovereignty and sovereign rights in accordance with international law and in February 2020, placed two persons under restrictive measures, in relation to Turkey`s unauthorised drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Moreover, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and “prime minister” of the Turkish Cypriot puppet regime Ersin Tatar announced last week in Ankara the opening of part of the beach of the abandoned town of Famagusta and went ahead with it last Thursday, in violation to numerous UN resolutions.
Varosha, the fenced off section of the Turkish occupied town of Famagusta, is often described as a ‘ghost town’. UN Security Council resolution 550 (1984) considers any attempts to settle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible and calls for the transfer of this area to the administration of the UN. UN Security Council resolution 789 (1992) also urges that with a view to the implementation of resolution 550 (1984), the area at present under the control of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus be extended to include Varosha.
