The new provocation by the occupying army in the buffer zone in Deneia village undermines the good climate and peace on the island, said Defence Minister, Vasilis Palmas, calling on the UN to take a stand and clarify the issues surrounding these provocations.
“We cannot play with fire,” said Palmas, invited to comment on yesterday’s incident in Deneia, after the memorial service for the heroes of the Neo Chorio community in Paphos.
The Republic of Cyprus “can no longer tolerate such approaches and views,” he stressed.
He added that political steps have already been taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs following this behaviour and expressed his belief that “the UN will take a stand instead of maintaining equal distance on issues concerning such dangerous situations.”
“The only way to ensure that there will be no such provocative and dangerous situations from the occupying forces in the future,” Palmas noted, “is for the United Nations to enforce the principles and values of the UN Charter.”
Asked whether these provocations by the occupying forces are aimed at expanding into the Buffer Zone, the Minister of Defence said that such attempts by the occupying army are made from time to time, even if they do not come to public light.
“We are a peaceful and democratic state,” he noted, adding that “at the same time, we defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus.”
‘This is a self-evident obligation of the Republic of Cyprus’, concluded Vasilis Palmas.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.