Turkish plan to reopen Cyprus ghost town strains rapprochement with Egypt
Egypt slams the Turkish plan to reopen the town of Varosha in the eastern part of the island of Cyprus, at a time when talks to normalize ties between the two countries have stalled.
The Turkish plan to reopen the town of Varosha, located on the eastern side of Cyprus and whose indigenous Greek Cypriot people left it nearly half a century ago, triggered criticism in Egypt.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a July 21 statement that the Turkish move is a violation of the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.
The Egyptian position points at the ongoing tension between Cairo and Ankara, despite diplomatic efforts to mend bilateral relations.
The ministry said that Egypt reiterates its call for Turkey to abide by UN Security Council resolutions in this regard, and to refrain from any unilateral actions that would complicate things and elevate tension. In addition, Turkey should fully adhere to the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus dispute, in accordance with the international legitimacy’s resolutions.
