Nikos Christodoulides : “Selective sensitivity and hypocrisy to the highest degree”

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides has accused Turkish person Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of “selective sensitivity and hypocrisy to the highest degree,” urging him to extremity Turkey’s 51-year concern of Cyprus and instrumentality to negotiations for reunification.

Addressing the UN General Assembly, Christodoulides said Erdoğan had used the aforesaid forum to contiguous himself arsenic a voice for bid while “accusing others of crimes that Turkey itself commits daily.”

He stressed that Cyprus was acceptable for a broad colony based connected a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with governmental equality, successful enactment with UN Security Council resolutions.

Erdoğan, however, dismissed the national exemplary arsenic unworkable, declaring there were “two abstracted states and two abstracted peoples connected the island” and demanding designation of the self-declared “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.”

He besides urged the planetary assemblage to assistance what helium called the “inhumane isolation” of Turkish Cypriots, while renewing calls for an Eastern Mediterranean Conference to sermon determination issues.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Nikos Christodoulides. Photo: Andreas Loukaidis/Press and Information Office

In his response, Christodoulides drew a nonstop examination betwixt Turkey’s 1974 penetration of Cyprus and Russia’s war successful Ukraine, warning that turning a unsighted oculus to violations of sovereignty lone emboldens aggressors.

He pointed to the plight of displaced families, missing persons, and the occupied metropolis of Famagusta, saying Turkey continues to prosecute amerciable colony policies aimed astatine altering the island’s demographic balance.

“The images of mothers and children crying for their loved ones are etched successful my memory,” helium said, adding that Cyprus remains determined to reunite its people.

He warned that “appeasement of the perpetrator has ne'er produced results” and called for stronger planetary enactment to uphold territorial integrity worldwide.

On planetary challenges, Christodoulides said the planetary bid faces unprecedented strain from war, clime change, economical instability and violations of planetary law.

He urged world leaders to strengthen multilateralism and clasp dialog and diplomacy “instead of violence — ever and successful each circumstance.”

On the sidelines of the Assembly, Christodoulides met Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, with the two reaffirming their adjacent ties and committedness to the Greece-Cyprus energy interconnection project.

They besides discussed upcoming intergovernmental talks successful Athens and preparations for a associated gathering with the Turkish Cypriot person under UN auspices.