A memorial ceremony was held in front of the Atatürk Monument in Nicosia to mark the 20th July Peace and Freedom Day.
It began with a wreath laying, a period of silence after which the National Anthem was played.
President Mustafa Akinci then took part in a special book signing to mark the day. He wrote inter alia, that since the Turkish military operation which was launched in response to the Greek Junta’s attempt to unite the island with Greece, the groundwork was laid for a bi-zonal, bi-communal structure. Since that time, Turkish Cypriots have been able to live in peace, freedom and security.
Among those present at the ceremony were Speaker of the House Sibel Siber, Prime Minister Huseyin Ozgurgun, former President Mehmet Ali Talat, Turkey’s Deputy PM Tugrul Turkes, Turkey’s Ambassador to Nicosia Derya Kanbay, Turkish Cypriot Peace Force Commander Lt. Gen. Elijah Bond, Mayor of North Cyprus Mehmet Harmanci, TRNC deputy PM Serdar Denktaş and Turkish main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, and other members of military and civilian organisations.
Gundem Kibris
