The United States announced on Tuesday its condemnation of the project announced by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to reopen Varosha, the ghost town located in eastern Cyprus, which has been abandoned by its original Greek Cypriot inhabitants for nearly half a century. Today, Turkish Cypriots, with the support of Ankara, seek to reopen it under their administration.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated in a statement that "the United States considers what the Turkish Cypriots are doing in Varosha with the support of Turkey to be provocative and unacceptable, and not consistent with the commitments they made in the past to engage constructively in peace talks."
He added, "We urge the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey to reverse the decision announced today and all steps taken since October 2020" in the abandoned tourist resort. The statement noted that "the United States is working with like-minded partners to refer this alarming situation to the United Nations Security Council, and we will advocate for a strong response."
Blinken emphasized the importance of avoiding unilateral provocative actions that increase tensions on the island and impede efforts to resume Cyprus settlement talks in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions. He reiterated the U.S. position of "supporting a comprehensive settlement led by Cypriots to reunite the island within a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation for the benefit of all Cypriots and the region."
Since 1974, when the Turkish army invaded the northern third of Cyprus in response to a coup executed by Greek Cypriot generals aiming to annex the island to Greece, the coastal town of Varosha has been emptied of its residents and has become a military zone under the direct control of the Turkish army.
On Tuesday, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, backed by Erdogan, announced the commencement of "the second phase of our plan to expand Varosha to end the mourning." For his part, Erdogan stated, "Life will resume" in Varosha.
Reopening this former coastal resort is a red line for the Greek Cypriots. Negotiations between the two sides regarding the reunification of the island have been stalled since 2017. The European Union and the United States reject the two-state solution to settle this issue.
