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Greek, Turkish Cypriots hold rival events to commemorate country's partition

Xinhua, July 21, 2016 Adjust font size:

Greek and Turkish Cypriots organized rival events on Wednesday to commemorate the anniversary of the country's partition.

Greek Cypriots held memorial services for about 6,000 people killed in Turkish troops' invasion to occupy part of the island 42 years ago, in reaction to a coup by Greek military officers at the time.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriots staged a military parade in the occupied part of the capital of Nicosia, albeit at a scaled-down level after a military coup failed in Turkey on July 15.

Turkish Cypriot media reported that tanks and armored personnel carriers did not take part in the parade as military units are on high alert following the incident in Turkey. A customary flyover by Turkish jets was also scrapped this year.

Turkey has tens of thousands of troops and a strong mechanized force since 1974 in the north of Cyprus, creating a breakaway state in the occupied region, which is only recognized by Turkey.

For Wednesday's commemoration, Turkey also sent a delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Yildirim Tugrul Turkes.

Turkes told a gathering that despite the coup attempt Turkey looks forward to reaching an agreement for a Cyprus settlement between Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci.

Turkes' statement helped alleviate concerns that the situation in Turkey would impact the Cypriot peace negotiations, which are expected to resume on Friday.

Akinci said that the current negotiations possibly offer the last chance to reunify Cyprus given the fact that the outcome of the 2018 Cypriot presidential election may make reunification talks even more difficult.

On the Greek Cypriot side, President Anastasiades told a rally that the day of the Turkish invasion was a dark day for both Greek and Turkish Cypriots and that he wished this was the last anniversary seeing Cyprus divided.

"We have been living for 42 years an absurdity of which there is no similar in world history," he said.

Anastasiades also said that the attempted coup in Turkey lends even more credibility to a demand by Greek Cypriots for ending the presence of Turkish troops in Cyprus and a system guaranteed by Greece, Turkey and Britain. Endi