United Nations.- By Apostolos Zoupaniotis

UN Security Council is expected to discuss most likely on Friday, the situation in Varosha, during closed informal consultation. The permanent representative of Cyprus to the U.S., Ambassador Andreas Mavoyiannis met on Tuesday with the Russian presidency of the Council, asking that the body addresses the issue, on the basis of article 35 of the UN Charter, after the announced intention of the regime in the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus to proceed with the opening of Varosha.

During his meetings with the S.C. members and the Secretariat, Ambassador Mavroyiannis stressed the need for the Council to ask for the reverse of the illegal decision.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed on Tuesday the need to avoid any unilateral actions that could trigger tensions in Cyprus and undermine the return to dialogue or the future success of talks.

In a statement issued by his spokesman, the Secretary-General says that he “is concerned by the announcement made today on the opening of the beach/coast line of Varosha” and “recalls that the position of the United Nations on Varosha remains unchanged and is guided by relevant Security Council resolutions.”

“The Secretary-General stresses the need to avoid any unilateral actions that could trigger tensions on the island and undermine the return to dialogue or the future success of talks. He calls on all parties to engage in dialogue in order to resolve their differences, and reiterates his readiness to bring the parties together” the announcement concludes.

Asked during the daily briefing, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that United Nations will continue to be guided by relevant Security Council Resolutions.

“ If you recall Resolution 550 states ‘it considers that attempts to settle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants is inadmissible’ ” the UN SG Spokesperson noted.

Guterres had on Monday another telephone conversation with the President of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, and informed him about his actions regarding the issue of Varosha, inter alia his telephone conversation with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci last Friday and his telephone contacts with Ankara. He told, moreover, the President of Cyprus that he gave instructions personally to his Special Representative in Cyprus, Elizabeth Spehar, and the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, to speak with Turkish Cypriot “officials” Ersin Tatar and Kudret Ozersay.

In his discussion with President Anastasiades, o September 23, Antonio Guterres promised him to send a clear signal to Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side to try to avoid any development in Varosha.

Varosha, the fenced off section of the Turkish occupied town of Famagusta, is often described as a ‘ghost town’. UN Security Council resolution 550 (1984) considers any attempts to settle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible and calls for the transfer of this area to the administration of the UN. UN Security Council resolution 789 (1992) also urges that with a view to the implementation of resolution 550 (1984), the area at present under the control of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus be extended to include Varosha.