The Turkish military forces that invaded the island of Cyprus on July 20, 1974 after the coup organized by the Greek junta five days earlier, seized many areas of the Republic of Cyprus, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes. This was reported for BTA by the Cypriot agency KNA.
On August 14, 1974, Turkish forces, despite the agreed truce, launched Operation Attila II, during which they captured 37% of the territory of Cyprus. They occupied Mount Pentadactylos, the plain of Messaoria, Morphou and Carpasia, and in the early hours of August 14 they bombarded Famagusta.
The city, once the pride of Cyprus, with a huge port, a thriving tourism sector and a rich culture, was closed by Turkish troops and no one was allowed to enter. Famagusta gradually became a “ghost town”.
The status of the fenced area of Famagusta (Varosha) is protected by UN Security Council Resolutions 550 and 789. In addition, the UN, through many resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council, demands respect for the independence, unity and territorial integrity of Cyprus, the return of refugees to their homes and the withdrawal of foreign troops from the island. But all the resolutions were provocatively ignored and violated by Turkey, KNA notes.
The foundation for a federation solution to the Cyprus question was laid in two high-level agreements. Both agreements (between President Makarios and the then Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash in February 1977 and between President Spyros Kyprianou and Denktash in May 1979) were reached under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General and provided for a resolution of the matter under the resolutions of UN.
The solution for a two-zone, two-community federation is also being ignored by the Turkish side, which is promoting a two-state solution.
In 1983, the Turkish Cypriots unilaterally declared an independent state. The action was condemned by the UN, and no country except Turkey has recognized this illegal entity, KNA recalls.
Since 1977, a series of rounds of peace negotiations have been held under the auspices of the United Nations, but to no avail. The last round was in 2017 in the Swiss resort of Crans Montana.