Onus is on the Greek Cypriots

Sir,

In answer to Mr Moss’ question “Why are so many people around the world willing to ignore or even excuse Turkey’s illegal invasion of 1974” (‘Powers’ disgraceful support for Turkey’, December 24), Turkey was fully within its rights to intervene in 1974, there was nothing illegal about it. Also, Turkey only intervened after it had urged the other guarantor powers (including Britain) to do something first, or it would have no choice but to counter the Greek Cypriot coup aimed at Enosis with Greece.

The continuing presence of the Turkish army is a guarantee that the island will not return to the ethnic cleansing that was carried out by Greek Cypriots against Turkish Cypriots between 1963 and 1974. If the government and people of the Republic of Cyprus could convince the Turkish Cypriots that they do not need this continuing protection, they would no doubt be returned to Turkey.

The onus of this is upon the Greek Cypriots to demonstrate.

Vughan Williams, Kyrenia

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.