Christodoulides Presents Revised Plan for Famagusta
Nikos Christodoulides has reworked and tabled a new proposal concerning the city of Famagusta and its port, according to Philenews. The plan outlines specific administrative frameworks for the fenced-off area of Varosha and the adjacent commercial port.
Under the proposal, the fenced-off area of Varosha would be handed over to United Nations administration. Following this transfer, the lawful inhabitants of the area would return. Simultaneously, the Famagusta port would operate under the supervision of the European Commission.
The structure of Christodoulides’s current proposal is built on ideas originally put forward in 2006 by Finland, which held the EU presidency at that time. The article notes that this framework is not a new concept in the context of Cyprus negotiations.
Erhurman Rejects Proposal Citing Trade Imbalance
Tufan Erhurman has rejected the proposal, stating that it is not balanced. Erhurman argued that Famagusta port is currently open and identified the inability of Turkish Cypriots to trade directly with the European Union as the primary issue for his community.
Erhurman claimed he had previously suggested that Christodoulides visit sites in the north and south alternately or simultaneously. According to Erhurman, Christodoulides replied that he prefers such visits to take place only after full negotiations have begun.
Historical Precedents and UN Resolutions
The rejection of the current proposal references historical diplomatic positions. Erhurman stated that Mehmet Ali Talat rejected a similar framework in 2006, and that Turkey also rejected it at that time.
The Philenews article cites United Nations Security Council Resolution 550 from 1984, which called for the transfer of Varosha to UN administration and condemned attempts to settle the area by people other than its inhabitants. The article further cites UN Security Council Resolution 789 from 1992, which urged extending the area under the control of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus to include Varosha.