Government defends Cyprus-Greece war games

THE GOVERNMENT yesterday denounced Turkey’s disapproval of recent joint Cyprus-Greece military manoeuvres in Paphos as totally unjustified.

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry had called the three-day exercise, code-named ‘Toxotis-Vergina’, an "activity which might escalate tension and disturb stability in the region," the Athens News Agency reported.

But Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou said the real security and stability of the region is jeopardised by Turkey’s occupation of northern Cyprus.

Turkey claims the joint Cyprus-Greece war games are not conducive to holding the third round of the UN-sponsored proximity talks, now scheduled for July 5 in Geneva.

Papapetrou said he hoped "this was not an effort to create a pretext, in view of the third round of talks, and to prepare the ground that the Turkish side will come to talks with the same attitude and approach".

He also said Greek Cypriots have shown their willingness and desire to negotiate seriously and to reach a solution to the Cyprus problem within the framework set out by the UN.

"Our position will not alter, whatever the Turkish pretext," he said.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.