Mass grave of Greek Cypriots discovered

-"A Turkish military zone in the illegally occupied north of Cyprus may hold the answer to the fate of some of the 1,464 still-unaccounted-for missing from the Turkish invasion of 1974," said Theo Theodorou, spokesman for Lobby for Cyprus in London.

Theodorou was referring to recent reports that up to 1,000 Greek Cypriots are buried in the area near the occupied village of Lapithos, in the Kyrenia district.

The area is fenced off with barbed wire and signs have been erected warning about mines, although a Turkish Cypriot newspaper has reported that "everyone can walk around in that area as he wishes. No mines have been found until now."

"According to what appears to be an open secret," Theodorou said, "whenever anyone wants a skeleton or a skull for medical studies, he is directed to the site where he is free to dig for whatever he seeks."

Theodorou explained that since the invasion, the Republic of Cyprus has been demanding information about the missing Cypriots, and Turkey has refused to provide any information either to the Republic or to the International Red Cross.

"Witnesses have reported that shortly after the invasion, between 800 and 1,000 Greek Cypriot bodies were collected from Lapithos and Vasilia, and were buried in a place known as "Agni," close to the little harbour where the Lapithos fishermen kept their boats," Theodorou said.

One witness has reported that shortly after the bodies were buried, he noticed a fire started by the Turkish army and, upon enquiring about it, he was told that the recent rain had uncovered some of the bodies and the Turkish Army was burning the bodies.

"The time has long passed for Turkey to officially account for the missing Greek Cypriots," Theodorou added. "Reports and depositions from witnesses are not enough, and the European Union must demand that Turkey cannot hope for accession to the EU until it does."

Since the invasion, Turkey has been occupying 37 per cent of the north of the island, and has been supporting its control of the area with an occupation army of 43,000 men.

In addition, in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, Turkey has imported 160,000 Anatolian colonists into the north to change its demographics.

Lobby for Cyprus is based in the UK, and is dedicated to the unification of the island through the removal of the 43,000-man Turkish army.