North claims Varosha belongs to its territory

The north’s ‘foreign ministry’ has claimed that Varosha is part of the break-away province’s territory, and the future of the fenced-off town is a decision for the Turkish Cypriots.

The statement from the ‘ministry’ on Thursday was in large part a response to the recent meeting between Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides and his Serbian counterpart, where Kasoulides warned of Turkish provocations in Varosha.

For its part, the ‘ministry’ claimed that the sole cause of tension in the region are the unilateral actions of the Republic – to which the north will take equivalent measures to protect its legal rights and interests.

The ‘ministry’ added the north and Turkey have submitted constructive proposals to ensure peace and stability in the region – referring to Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar’s most recent proposed confidence building measures.