On the 50th anniversary of Turkey's illegal invasion of Cyprus, Theresa Villiers, former MP for Chipping Barnet and long-time campaigner on freedom for Cyprus, has published the following article.
"Exactly 50 years ago, at 5.20am on 20th July 1974, Turkey’s brutal invasion of Cyprus began. This led to the seizure by Turkey of 36% of the island and the displacement of thousands of people.
Cyprus has been divided ever since and Nicosia is Europe’s last divided capital. The distress felt by those who were driven from their homes during that attack remains very real.
The invasion violated international law and has been condemned in repeated UN resolutions.
The Security Council has called for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus to be respected. The administration that runs the northern area occupied in the invasion is not internationally recognised.
One of the most tragic aspects of the events of 1974 is that around 2000 people (mainly Greek Cypriots) went “missing” and their fate was unknown. Some progress has been made with identification of human remains, but nearly half are still unaccounted for.
In recent times, women have started to speak out about sexual violence inflicted by the invading troops, an issue previously hidden from view.
The island is home to some of the earliest Christian sites, and the destruction of cultural heritage in the Turkish-occupied area has been the subject of international condemnation.
For decades, negotiations have been taking place intermittently between the two sides. The most recent round took place in Crans Montana in Switzerland in 2017. Considerable progress was made, but agreement foundered on security matters, and the talks broke up without resolution.
During my 25 years in elected office, six as MEP for London and 19 as MP for Chipping Barnet, I put the case for a free and united Cyprus, based on UN resolutions and a bizonal, bicommunal, federal state. I sincerely hope that this anniversary prompts a fresh focus on Cyprus by the international community.
This injustice has gone on for far too long. There should be a concerted effort by the UK Government, the EU and the UN to bring the leadership of the Greek and Turkish Cypriots together for a new round of negotiations.
The President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, has made it clear he is willing to do this.
Now pressure needs to be brought to bear on the Turkish Cypriot leadership to come back to the table. And every diplomatic pressure possible should be applied to Turkey to withdraw its troops from Cyprus and give Cypriots the freedom to determine their own future. The attempted coup which Turkey used as a pretext for its invasion was thwarted decades ago. It cannot possibly justify a continued Turkish military presence now.
A settlement to reunite Cyprus is manifestly in the interest of both sides. This anniversary is a reminder of the tragedies of the past and we should use as a means to build a better future."
