New TRNC President Akıncı calls for reopening of Varosha

The new president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC), Mustafa Akıncı, has said that Varosha, an abandoned city that has been fenced off since the Turkish military intervention on the island in 1974, should be reopened as an incentive to the long-stalled peace talks in ethnically divided Cyprus.

Delivering his inauguration speech on Thursday, after his landslide victory in the KKTC's presidential election last Sunday, Akıncı said: "We will … seek an agreement whereby the closed area of Varosha is opened under UN auspices, while at the same time relieving the bottleneck in trade and tourism by opening Famagusta port to direct trade and Ercan Airport to direct flights.”

The KKTC is only recognized by Turkey, while the international community recognizes the south of Cyprus as the sole government on the island. Due to the prolonged, unresolved situation, Turkish Cypriots have been isolated and heavily dependent on Turkey, which bankrolls much of the KKTC's budget.

Varosha is part of the port town of Famagusta in the north. It was fenced off in August 1974 by Turkey, a month after its military intervention on the island following a Greek Cypriot coup aiming to unify the island with Greece. The once luxurious city of Varosha has since been deserted, turning into a ghost town of empty buildings.

"It is important we open new crossings and that mobile phones be made to work on both sides," Akıncı said in his inaugural speech, which was broadcast live on Thursday.

The negotiations between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots to reunify the island have been stalled since last October, after Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades left the negotiation table in protest of Turkey sending a natural gas research vessel offshore of southern Cyprus.

Left-wing politician Akıncı won the election as an independent candidate in the second round against the incumbent president, Derviş Eroğlu from the National Unity Party (UBP), by receiving 60.5 percent of the vote last Sunday. His victory has increased hopes of reaching a comprehensive solution for the island.

The leaders of Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots are expected to meet soon to discuss the future of the peace talks. The UN secretary-general's special adviser on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, is also expected to visit the island this week for a push to resume the negotiations. Greek Cyprus leader Anastasiades had previously announced that he would offer “confidence building measures” to Turkish Cypriots in order to boost negotiations. Akıncı's call for reopening Varosha is a gesture to Greek Cypriots and could be seen as part of confidence building measures as well, an expert who asked not to be named told Today's Zaman on Thursday.

A day before Akıncı's inauguration ceremony on Thursday, Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Yoannis Kasulidis said a formula that would pave the way for direct international flights to the KKTC would become possible after mutual agreement between the two sides.

Credit: Todays Zaman