Christodoulides Calls Search for 920 Missing Persons a Top Priority

Nicosia, Cyprus. President Nikos Christodoulides said on Thursday that establishing the fate of the 920 people still unaccounted for from the 1963-1964 intercommunal conflicts and the 1974 Turkish invasion is a leading priority for the state. He spoke on missing persons day, which the Greek Cypriot community has marked on October 29 each year since 2010.

A humanitarian issue

Christodoulides expressed respect for the families, who have lived for decades without certainty and are entitled to answers. He described the matter, for the Republic of Cyprus, as primarily humanitarian. He pledged that “our efforts will continue until the fate of every single missing person has been determined.”

Support for the Committee of Missing Persons

The president said the state gives the Committee of Missing Persons institutional, technical and financial backing. He added that authorities are stepping up work to gather, assess and make use of witness accounts and archival material. According to him, the aim is to speed up exhumations and identifications and to keep families properly informed throughout.

International efforts and demands on Turkey

Christodoulides said the issue is raised in all contacts with the Turkish Cypriot leadership, Turkey, the United Nations, the European Union and the wider international community. He described the Cypriot position as clear and specific, and said he is demanding “full and unconditional access to the archives of the Turkish military and any other relevant authority.”

He said this should include all details on burial sites, the movement of remains and military operations. He also said investigations and exhumations should be made possible inside military zones and other areas where access is currently limited.

Assistance to families

The president described support for the relatives of missing persons as a lasting duty of the state. He said the authorities will keep tackling the social, economic and other difficulties these families face, through targeted policies and continuing dialogue with the organisations that represent them.