Announcement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 51st Anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus (20.07.2025)

Today marks 51 years since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, which led to the occupation of one third of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, in flagrant violation of international law.

Greece honours the memory of the fallen, empathizes with the tragedy of the Missing and the Displaced, and expresses its eternal gratitude to all those who defended the island with courage and self-sacrifice.

The Cyprus Issue remains, to this day, an international problem of illegal invasion and occupation, and a continuous, daily violation of the Charter of the United Nations. The perpetuation of the current status quo, as well as any notion of a "two-state" solution, are not acceptable.

Greece, in full alignment with the Republic of Cyprus, remains firmly committed to the pursuit of a comprehensive, mutually acceptable settlement, on the basis of a Bizonal, Bicommunal Federation, with political equality between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, with a single international personality, single sovereignty and single citizenship, as set out in the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.

Thanks to the strong commitment of the UN Secretary-General to the Good Offices Mission entrusted to him by the Security Council, the Cyprus Issue remains high on the United Nations agenda.

Greece supports the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and the President of the Republic of Cyprus for the resumption of negotiations. The informal meetings held this year in Geneva and New York, in a broader format, demonstrate that the conditions that will lead to the achievement of this goal can be established.

The resolution of the Cyprus Issue, within the framework set out by the UN Security Council, the reunification of the island, and the termination of the occupation of an EU Member State's territory, remains a top national priority.

July 20, 2025