Turkey role in refugee numbers highlighted by House president

Turkey’s role in the increasing flow of refugees to Cyprus during the past year was highlighted by House president Demetris Syllouris in his meeting on Tuesday with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Katja Saha.

Syllouris referred to relevant data which he says proves that illegal trafficking networks that are operational in the region use Turkey as a base.

He added that Cypriot people are in a position to understand the refugee crisis, having been themselves refugees following the 1974 war, and called upon the UN Office for Refugees to assist efforts to curb the phenomenon by applying pressure on Turkey.

Saha responded by assuring Syllouris of UN efforts towards the resolution of the crisis, with both parties agreeing that there is a need for better coordination and cooperation on a regional and global level.

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.