Ireland supports Cyprus’s efforts to resolve the issue of Missing Persons, Ambassador says CNA - CYPRUS/Nicosia 30/03/2021 

Irish Ambassador to Cyprus Deirdre Ni Fhalluin expressed her country’s support to the efforts of Cyprus to resolve the issue of the missing persons.
 
According to an official press release, Fhalluin met with Presidential Commissioner Fotis Fotiou in the context of the latter’s meetings with Ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions to Cyprus on issues concerning his competencies and especially the issue the missing persons since the intercommunal conflict in Cyprus and the 1974 Turkish invasion.

During the meeting, Fotiou briefed the Irish diplomat on the problems, the difficulties and the challenges facing the efforts to “bring about a solution to the tragedy of the missing persons and their relatives.”
 
This tragic situation, he said, is solely due to the occupying force’s denial to collaborate in a sincere and humanitarian way to resolve the humanitarian aspect of the problem.
 
Turkey is responsible not only for the creation of the problem but also for its up to now perpetuation to the detriment of the relatives of mission persons, he added, noting that Turkey’s denial to implement the European Court of Human Rights decisions is indicative of the “inhuman and unacceptable policy” it follows.
 
He also said the families of missing persons in Cyprus, demand and are entitled to demand fair and equal treatment according to the rules and values of international law.
 
Concluding, the Commissioner expressed both the government’s and his personal gratitude over Ireland’s support and assistance to the efforts to resolve this humanitarian problem as well as its support in the context of the CoE’s Committee of Permanent Representatives.
 
On her part, Deirdre Ni Fhalluin underlined her country’s support to the efforts made by the Republic of Cyprus to ascertain the fate of the missing, expressing Ireland`s readiness to contribute to this end.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Since then, the fate of hundreds of people remains unknown.

A Committee on Missing Persons has been established, upon agreement between the leaders of the two communities, with the scope of exhuming, identifying and returning the remains of missing persons to their relatives.
 
 
CNA/GS/EPH/2021
ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY