18.12.2019 – As the Union of Cypriots, we closely monitor the recent military activities conducted by Turkey in the occupied areas of Cyprus. Turkey, a member state of NATO, currently maintains over 40,000 illegal military personnel on the island since its occupation of the northern regions in 1974.
Turkey has escalated its military activities in the Eastern Mediterranean following the disputes over the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the United States’ decision to lift the arms embargo on Cyprus.
Most recently, Turkey has initiated preparations for the construction of an illegal naval base in Trikomo, in addition to deploying “unmanned combat aerial vehicles” at the illegal airport in Lefkoniko (Geçitkale). Furthermore, Turkey has decided to invest in the same airport to accommodate its fighter jets.
These actions not only violate international laws but also clearly demonstrate Turkey’s ulterior motives in utilizing the “bizonal bicommunal federal solution” talks as a means to buy time for its colonial activities. We would like to remind all those who still believe in a “federal solution” in Cyprus that they are inadvertently contributing to the perpetuation of terror on our homeland by granting legitimacy to Turkey’s presence on the island.
As we consistently assert, the Cyprus issue is not solely a concern for Cypriots; it affects the peoples of West Asia and North Africa as well, who suffer from the neo-colonial ambitions of NATO powers that exploit our island as an “unsinkable aircraft carrier” for regional activities.
We call upon all political parties, non-governmental organizations, and citizen initiatives to unite and demand a Cyprus free from foreign military presence. As the Union of Cypriots, we will continue our campaign for a unified Cypriot state devoid of illegal Turkish settlers and promoting democratic unity between Greek-speaking and Turkish-speaking Cypriots.
Cyprus for Cypriots!
Union of Cypriots
