Greek Prime Minister declares need for reunification of Cyprus
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (photo: Getty Images)
Greece calls for the reunification of Cyprus on the 50th anniversary of Turkish operations on the island. Athens believes that the decision should be made through diplomacy, according to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
“As I also said to President (Turkish - ed.) Erdogan during our recent meeting in Washington, Cyprus, an EU member state, 50 years after the tragedy of 1974, should not remain divided,” Mitsotakis said.
The Greek Prime Minister said that his country shares the diplomatic path. He believes that both communities should sit down at the negotiating table “to find a solution within the framework of UN resolutions under the unshakable condition that any agreement recognizes sovereignty, citizenship, and international legal personality.”
“In these efforts, our Cypriot brothers have the support and assistance of Greece,” he added.
The split of Cyprus
Cyprus was split in 1974 after a coup and Turkish invasion. The island is divided into two parts, with the south governed by an internationally recognized government that represents the country in the EU. The northern part remains breakaway and is recognized only by Türkiye.
The UN has failed to unite the island under one government. Northern Cyprus wants to unite with Cyprus on the basis of a federation, but the Cypriot authorities reject this possibility, fearing the growth of Turkish influence.
The EU has imposed sanctions on Türkiye over the exploration of fields in Cyprus.
