Turkey opened the beachfront area of the abandoned Varosha resort on the northern third of Cyprus it has occupied since an unlawful 1974 invasion
Αssociated Press reports from Nicosia that there were outcries from Cyprus, Greece, Russia and Germany, as Turkey opened the beachfront area of the abandoned Varosha resort on the northern third of Cyprus it has occupied since an unlawful 1974 invasion.
That came after Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis pulled back demands for European Union sanctions over Turkey drilling in Cypriot waters and planning to do the same off Greek islands.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan withdrew an energy research vessel and warships near the Greek island of Kastellorizo to pave the way for talks in Ankara – not Athens – with Greek officials over boundaries in the Aegean and East Mediterranean.
He said no matter the outcome of the discussions that Turkey will never back down but the EU, after Anastasiades and Mitsotakis relented on demands for penalties, withheld sanctions at least until the end of the year so talks can proceed.
The opening of the beach on Varosha, which the legitimate government of the island fears could lead to renovating and reopening the town itself in defiance of United Nations resolutions, upset Greece and Turkey who did nothing but bark.
There were worries, however, that it could upset the balance of the Greek-Turkish talks and derail any hopes of resuming reunification talks for the island, the last round collapsing in July, 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana.
Those fell apart when Erdogan and Turkish-Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci – facing a re-election challenge Aug. 11, said a 35,000-strong army on the occupied side would never be removed and as they wanted the right of military intervention.
Read the full report at thenationalherald.com
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