President Nikos Christodoulides has called on Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side to respond substantively to requests for information held in Turkish military archives and to grant access to possible burial sites linked to Cyprus' missing persons cases.
The appeal was made in a written statement marking Cyprus Missing Persons Day.
"Today we renew our promise that we will not compromise with oblivion and will not accept inaction," Christodoulides said, adding that establishing the truth about every missing person is "a necessary precondition for justice, reconciliation and sustainable peace in our country".
He described the occasion as a day of remembrance and national responsibility, honouring those who remain missing following the 1974 Turkish invasion as well as those who disappeared during the intercommunal violence of 1963-1964.
A humanitarian issue above all
Christodoulides expressed respect for the families of the missing, who for decades have endured the pain of uncertainty and continue to seek answers about the fate of their loved ones.
He stressed that, for the Republic of Cyprus, the issue is first and foremost a humanitarian one and that efforts will continue until the fate of the last missing person is established.
The president said the Republic continues to support the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) through institutional, technical and financial assistance.
At the same time, authorities are strengthening efforts to collect, assess and utilise testimonies and archival material, accelerate exhumations and identifications, and improve communication with affected families.
Call for access to archives and burial sites
According to Christodoulides, the missing persons issue remains a priority in contacts with the Turkish Cypriot leadership, Turkey, the United Nations, the European Union and the wider international community.
He reiterated the Republic's position, which calls for:
- Full and unconditional access to Turkish military archives and other relevant records.
- Disclosure of all information concerning burial locations, the movement of remains and military operations.
- Facilitation of investigations and exhumations in military zones and other restricted areas.
- Meaningful cooperation with the CMP and relevant international organisations.
"On today's occasion, I once again call on Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side to respond substantively regarding information held by the Turkish military and access to possible burial sites," he said.
Support for families
Christodoulides said support for families of missing persons remains an ongoing obligation of the state.
He pledged continued assistance through targeted policies and ongoing dialogue with family organisations, addressing the social, economic and other challenges they face.
In this context, he noted that the Council of Ministers has decided that care provided to parents and spouses of missing persons and fallen servicemen will be granted without economic criteria.
'An open wound of the Cyprus tragedy'
In a separate post on X, the president said Cyprus has a moral duty to resolve an issue that "overturned the lives of hundreds of families and shattered the dreams of thousands of people".
He described the missing persons issue as "an open wound of the Cyprus tragedy" that has continued to bleed for more than half a century.
Paying tribute to spouses, children, siblings and especially parents still waiting for answers, Christodoulides said the effort would not stop until the fate of every missing person has been determined.
"We owe it to the children, the surviving parents and relatives of the missing. Above all, we owe it to the mothers and fathers who died carrying the pain of not knowing what happened to their children."
Source: CNA
