Turkey: Status of Maras 'remains unchanged'

By Burak Bir

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's Foreign Ministry said Saturday the international community should consider realities on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) after the UN Security Council's comments on the partial reopening of Maras for public use.

"The decision announced by the Turkish Cypriot authorities on the fenced city of Maras, territory of the TRNC, does not cause any grievance in the area which is opened for visits,” the ministry said in a statement. “The status of the region remains unchanged. Therefore, the claim that the decision violates the UN Security Council resolutions does not reflect the reality."

The statement reiterated Turkey's full supports of the TRNC's statement on the issue and said the international community should take into account the realities on the island rather than the misleading propaganda of the Greek Cypriot Administration.

"Advocating for the continuation of the status quo will neither benefit the two peoples who are the co-owners of Cyprus Island, nor help the settlement of the Cyprus issue," it added.

The abandoned town of Maras in the Turkish Cypriot city of Gazimagusa partially reopened for public use Thursday.

The Security Council discussed the latest developments Friday on "The Situation in Cyprus” and urged the TRNC to retreat from partialy reopening the town.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when a Greek Cypriot coup was followed by violence against the island's Turks and Ankara's intervention as a guarantor power.

It has seen an on-and-off peace process in recent years, including a failed 2017 initiative in Switzerland under the auspices of guarantor countries Turkey, Greece and the UK.