Greece has strongly criticised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s comments made during a visit to the Turkish-occupied north of Cyprus on Saturday, May 3, warning that any unilateral moves risk derailing ongoing peace efforts.
During his visit, Erdogan declared: “We, the Turkish nation and the Turkish Cypriots, are the owners of this land. Whoever doesn’t know this must learn it. Whoever hasn’t heard it must hear it.” He also vowed that Turkey’s presence in northern Cyprus would last “for centuries.”
In response, Greek diplomatic sources stated on Sunday: “At a time when a significant effort is being made by the UN Secretary General on the Cyprus problem, with the resumption of the informal talks and the appointment of Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar as personal envoy, any action to create a fait accompli in the occupied territories is an extremely negative development.”
Athens reaffirmed its commitment to the UN framework for Cyprus reunification, emphasising that a just and lasting solution would benefit all Cypriots and promote regional peace and stability.
Source: Ekathimerini.