Christodoulides says return of Morphou is non-negotiable — Cyprus Mail

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides said that the return of the city of Morphou is non-negotiable in the settlement of the Cyprus issue. He said this at the 46th anti-occupation event organised by the municipality of Morphou, Cyprus Mail reports.

Conditions for concessions

Christodoulides said he was ready for certain concessions only on issues that would help achieve a functional and sustainable solution. According to him, he is aware of the limitations of the Greek Cypriot side and follows a realistic approach.

The president also rejected steps that, in his view, could create only a temporary revival of the process or false expectations. He said his mandate was to transform the Republic of Cyprus into a modern state, sovereign across its entire territory, without an occupying army and guarantors with the right to intervene.

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Position on Morphou

According to Christodoulides, the work of the negotiating process provides for the return of Morphou. He claims that UN Secretary-General António Guterres also pointed to this, and that the Cypriot government supports this goal and will not abandon it.

Morphou is a city west of Nicosia known for citrus cultivation. Before the Turkish invasion in 1974, about 6,500 Greek Cypriots lived there, while around 30,000 Turkish Cypriots now live in the city.

The 2002–2004 Annan Plan envisaged transferring Morphou and surrounding villages under Greek Cypriot administration, but not the district's coastline. In the 2004 referendum, the plan was supported by 65% of Turkish Cypriots, while 76% of Greek Cypriots voted against it. During the 2017 conference in Crans-Montana, the framework proposed by Guterres provided for the return of “one settlement,” which was widely believed to mean Morphou.