The occupied Municipality of Kyrenia has issued a statement expressing its strong dissatisfaction and concern over María Ángela Olguín’s decision to meet with delegations from the occupied municipalities of Famagusta and Morphou, without including the Municipality of Kyrenia, in a statement issued by the occupied municipality.
As the statement notes, this decision excludes a significant portion of the refugee community from the consultations, raising questions regarding the criteria applied and the appropriateness of such selective representation.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
According to information cited by the Municipality of Kyrenia, the President of the Republic recommended to the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General that she meet with the occupied municipalities; however, she chose to hold meetings only with delegations from Famagusta and Morphou.
“Are there two classes of refugees?” asks the Municipality, demanding an explanation for the exclusion of Kyrenia.
Questions Regarding Reports on a Settlement Plan
The Kyrenia Municipality links its exclusion to reports in the Turkish press regarding an alleged new plan for a solution to the Cyprus problem.
Specifically, it cites a report in the Turkish newspaper Sozcu, according to which a plan attributed to Ms. Olgin is said to provide for the return of Varosha and Morphou to the Greek Cypriots, in exchange for a rotating presidency, the creation of a federal council, and the participation of Turkish Cypriots in the administration of a federal Cyprus.
Dimos clarifies that, if this information is accurate, it raises serious questions about the methodology being followed and whether an attempt is being made to create a fait accompli before the official presentation of any solution plan and the start of substantive.
At the same time, it raises the question of why the Municipality of Kyrenia is being excluded from these discussions, if territorial arrangements concerning specific occupied areas are indeed under discussion.
“We do not accept second-class refugees”
In its statement, the Municipality of Kyrenia emphasizes that all refugees, regardless of the occupied area from which they originate, have the right to express their views, concerns, and expectations regarding the future of their homeland.
It stresses that no initiative regarding the Cyprus issue and no settlement plan should divide the refugee community into privileged and non-privileged groups, nor should it create discrimination regarding the recognition of their rights.
“We refuse to accept the logic of selective representation and being treated as second-class refugees,” he states emphatically, insisting that the equal participation of all occupied municipalities in the dialogue is not a privilege, but an obligation toward the refugees, the history, and the future of Cyprus.
