A US State Department official said on Monday, amid reactions concerning a reception of the US Embassy in Cyprus, held in the Turkish occupied areas of the island and attended by Turkish army officers in uniform, that there has been no change in the US policy toward Cyprus, adding that the United States continues to support the settlement process, conducted under the auspices of the UN, to reunify the island as a bizonal, bicommunal federation.
“The United States Embassy in Cyprus has long hosted an annual reception for contacts in the northern part of Cyprus. This includes Turkish military officers, who generally attend in civilian attire. This year some Turkish officers chose to attend the reception in uniform,” the official noted.
He added that these officers’ attire does not reflect any change in U.S. policy toward Cyprus and that the United States continues to support the settlement process, conducted under the auspices of the UN, to reunify the island as a bizonal, bicommunal federation.
“We talk to a wide range of contacts throughout Cyprus in an effort to pursue the goal of a bizonal, bicommunal federation. One topic of our engagement with the Turkish military, for example, is the search for the remains of missing persons, both Cypriot and American, which remains a serious humanitarian concern to the US government,” he noted.
Furthermore he recalled that the Turkish military recently announced it would provide access to at least 30 suspected burial sites in military areas, “which will greatly accelerate the work of the bicommunal Committee on Missing Persons.”
The official also said that remarks attributed to Ambassador Kathleen A. Doherty at the Embassy’s annual reception on November 5 are inaccurate.
Neither the American Ambassador, nor any other American diplomat present, made any statement regarding the Turkish military. Ambassador Doherty’s remarks at the reception are posted on the US Embassy’s website, he added.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory.
CNA/AZ/MK/GV/2015
ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY