Cyprus has dismissed as unfounded attempts by Ankara to politicize a UN meeting on the protection of geographical names, saying Turkey as an occupation power has destroyed the Republic’s cultural heritage in the areas it occupies since its troops invaded in 1974.

Cyprus took part in the 10th UN Conference on Standardization of Geographical Names in New York from 31 July to 9 August and the 27th Session of the UN Group of Experts on Geographic Names which concludes tomorrow.

During the Conference, President of Cyprus Permanent Committee for Standardization of Geographical Names Prodromos Vasiliou pointed out that Cyprus attaches great importance to the implementation of resolutions on the standardization and protection of geographical names as part of the cultural heritage of each country, which should be protected from any premeditated and violent attempt to change them.

Responding to Turkish claims that there are two states in Cyprus, Vassiliou expressed regret that Turkey chose to politicize this UN meeting instead of working constructively to achieve the goals set out at conference.

Any Turkish attempt against the international personality of the Republic of Cyprus, he added, has no legal effect nor does it affect the status of the Republic.

Vasiliou reminded the representative of Turkey that as of July 1 this year, Nicosia holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which Turkey aspires to join.

He also recalled that the UN has branded “legally invalid” the self-styled Turkish Cypriot regime in occupied Cyprus – which only Turkey recognises –  and called on UN member states not to recognize or provide any assistance to this secessionist entity.

Turkey, he said, has not implemented any of these resolutions nor the resolutions on the standardization of geographical names, adding that in occupied Cyprus over 35.000 names have been arbitrarily and illegally changed.