Athens welcomes Borrell statement on Varosha

Greece has welcomed a statement by the European Union’s top diplomat Josep Borrell on Tuesday that condemned a plan by Turkish and Turkish Cypriot leaders to partially reopen the abandoned resort of Varosha and called for an immediate reversal of the decision.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry in Athens said it particularly took note of Borrell’s pledge that EU foreign ministers will consider actions at their next meeting if Turkey fails to comply with the UN Security Council resolutions on Cyprus.

Tuesday’s statement underlined “the need to avoid unilateral actions in breach of international law and renewed provocations” that could undermine efforts at a peace settlement in line with the UN resolutions.

It added that the bloc “remains fully committed to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem on the basis of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality.”