Cyprus: Turkish controlled 'ghost suburb' Varosha reopens despite Greek objection

Authorities in the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) announced on Tuesday a partial reopening of Varosha, a long-abandoned ghost suburb for potential resettlement. The controversial move sparked sharp criticism from the Greeks, who claim sovereignty over it, and other major western powers including the United States, Associated Press reported. The seemingly eerie region had been deserted since 1974 but in November last year, a 3.5 square kilometers part of it was reopened for visits. Now, going a step further, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar has said that a part of Varosha would be reopened for civilian use. 

A new era will begin in Maras which will benefit everyone,” said Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, referring to the Turkish name of Verosha during his visit to the region. Regional authorities have also promised a mechanism that would allow Greek Cypriots to reclaim their properties through the Immoveable Property Commission (IPC), a legal body that is empowered to adjudicate such cases.

Turkish President’s visit

The announcement came on the second day of the Turkish President’s visit to the TRNC. Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the 47th anniversary of Turkey’s military intervention and talked about the establishment of global peace on the Mediterranean island. However, he mocked the failed attempt to resolve the crisis and said that they do not have "50 years to waste".  The Invasion, which took place in 1974, is seen as an invasion by Greek Cypriots. 

Cypriot Conflict 

The Republic of Cyprus, located in the Mediterranean Sea, is ethnically divided between Greeks and Turks. While Turkey and Northern Cyprus have suggested that a two-state solution was the only way out of the island’s conflict, the other side does not doesn’t support such a formula. Both Cyprus and Greece, have called for a "bizonal federation" as the only solution for the reunification of the Mediterranean island.

Turko-Greek relationship 

The relationship between Greece and Turkey has been alternating between periods of hostile acts and reconciliation ever since Greek independence from the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century. The TCG Cesme, a research vessel, was deployed in the Aegean Sea in March earlier his year for conducting a hydrographic surveyor “scientific and technical research” concerning earthquakes. However, Greece had opposed Ankara’s move, saying it was against the spirit of renewed dialogue between the two. The Turkish government, on February 23, accused the Greek military of harassing a Turkish research vehicle in the west of the Islands of Lemnos in the Aegean Sea. 

Image: AP