Christodoulides to Raise Issue of Missing Persons with Turkey as CBM

Under the headline "CBM with Turkey on Missing Persons – President Tells Relatives He Will Raise the Issue with Ankara", the paper reported that Christodoulides met with the heads of associations representing relatives of missing persons in the south. Following the meeting, the association leaders said Christodoulides would present the ongoing problems related to missing persons to Turkey within the framework of CBMs.

Maria Kalbourtzi and Nikos Sergides, presidents of the two associations, said after their meeting at the Presidential Palace that Christodoulides gave assurances he would address the issue with Turkey, specifically citing long-standing obstacles in resolving the fate of the missing.

Kalbourtzi described the meeting as “very encouraging,” and said Christodoulides told them he intended to raise with Turkey “the well-known problems regarding missing persons as part of the CBM discussions.”

When asked what these problems were, Kalbourtzi referred to “a lack of information, the relocation of remains, and access to military zones.” She added that these matters would be presented to Turkey as humanitarian CBMs “to help secure some answers and make progress on the issue.”

Sergides echoed these sentiments, noting that the difficulties faced by the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) were discussed during the meeting, and that Christodoulides had put forward “tangible proposals” to help overcome them.

Asked to elaborate, Sergides said the proposals were in line with Kalbourtzi’s comments, and that Christodoulides would seek cooperation from Turkey, urging it to open its archives and support the work of the CMP on humanitarian grounds.