Putin says unilateral actions in Varosha, Cyprus are unacceptable

President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, has described unilateral actions in the fenced area of Varosha that violate Security Council resolutions, as unacceptable.

Turkey invaded Cyprus on July 20, 1974. Numerous UN backed talks to reunite the island have failed to yield results.

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.

Turkish Cypriot leader, Ersin Tatar, announced in July a partial lifting of the military status in Varosha.

On October 8, 2020, the Turkish side opened part of the fenced area of Varosha, following an announcement made in Ankara on October 6. Both the UN Secretary-General and the EU expressed concern, while the UN Security Council called for the reversal of this course of action.

“We regard as unacceptable the unilateral actions that violate UNSC resolutions 550 and 789”, Putin says in a response letter to Cypriot President, Nicos Anastasiades, an announcement of the Presidency reads.

“The Russian Federation provides consistently support to a Cyprus solution within the known framework of international law that has been set by the Security Council resolutions and provides for a solution based on bizonal, bicommunal federation with a single international legal personality, a single sovereignty and a single citizenship”, Putin is quoted as saying in his letter.

He underlines that both at the level of the UN and at bilateral level, Russia will promote the establishment of favourable external conditions, with the aim of progressing towards the solution of the Cyprus problem through negotiations.

Putin notes that Russia strongly believes that all five Permanent Members of the Security Council should be involved in the discussions on the external dimension of the solution and the replacement of the current anachronistic system of guarantees with UN guarantees.

The Russian President expresses his gratitude to the President of Cyprus over the dialogue between the two countries on issues of international and regional interest, including the situation in Cyprus, as well as the cooperation between Russia and Cyprus.