US condemns announcement on transfer of town to Turkish Cypriot control

The United States condemned the announcement on Tuesday that parts of an abandoned town in Cyprus would be transferred to Turkish Cypriot control, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

Blinken called the announcement “provocative” and “unacceptable.” He said “the United States is working with like-minded partners to refer this concerning situation to the UN Security Council and will urge a strong response.” [Reuters]

We condemn the decision to have Turkish Cypriots take control over parts of Varosha, which is inconsistent with UN resolutions, unacceptable, and incompatible with past commitments to resume settlement talks. We urge a reversal of this decision and steps taken since Oct. 2020.

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) July 21, 2021