The Municipality and organised bodies of the Turkish occupied town of Morphou are to hand over on Tuesday a resolution to the embassies of the five UN Security Council permanent members, the EU Representation, the President of the Republic Demetris Christofias and the President of the House of Representatives Yiannakis Omirou.

The resolution will be delivered on the occasion of the 36th anniversary of the occupation of the city by the advancing Turkish troops, on August 16, 1974.

Later today, a memorial service will be held in memory of those who perished during the invasion at Faneromeni church in Nicosia.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. The Turkish offensive was launched in two phases – on 20 July and on 14 August.

Turkey has refused to comply with repeated UN calls to withdraw its occupation troops and in spite of several rounds of peace talks, no political settlement has been achieved, due to Turkey’s intransigence.

President Christofias is currently engaged in talks with the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community Dervis Eroglu in a bid to find a negotiated settlement that will reunite the country under a federal roof.