Hammond’s visit caused problem for Greek Cypriot Administration

British Foreign Secretary of Foreign and Commonwealth Office Philip Hammond’s Cyprus visit caused great problem for Greek Cypriot Administration. It was stated that intense initiatives were made by Greek Cypriot Administration not to concur Hammond’s visit to EOKA’s anniversary and to arrange his arrival on the island from Larnaca airport not from Ağrotur base.

It was also stated that Hammond will arrive on the island on 1 April 2015 and he is planning to visit President Derviş Eroğlu. It was noticed that it caused disturbance for Greek Cypriot Administration.

Furthermore, Greek Cypriot Administration is spending intense diplomatic efforts with UK to change the date of Hammond’s visit from 1 April 2015 to 31March 2015, and also to arrange Hammond’s arrival from Larnaca airport but UK insists on Ağrotur base for security reasons.

Greek Cypriot political parties EDEK, DIKO and EURO.KO, ecologists and environment movement are also spending efforts to prevent Hammond’s arrival on EOKA anniversary and meeting with Eroğlu.

DIKO claimed that if Hammond visits Eroğlu at TRNC Presidential Palace, it will be the proof of UK’s role for trying to raise the value of TRNC and bring down the value of so-called Cyprus Republic.