The South Cyprus government will, through diplomatic channels, express its displeasure to the ambassadors who attended events hosted by the north’s ‘Foreign Minister’ (as CNA refers to) Ozdil Nami, South Cyprus government sources have told the Cyprus News Agency.
Nami had hosted working lunches in June for two foreign ambassadors to South Cyprus at a hotel in the “Turkish-occupied areas”, and then posted pictures with them on a social networking site.
At a meeting on Monday between President Nicos Anastasiades and Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides, the two men decided that notes verbales would be issued to the ambassadors in question, warning that similar future instances would result in the downgrading of their meetings with legitimate Cypriot officials.
Although a note verbale is considered a neutral form of diplomatic communication – typically an unsigned memo written in the third person – the language used alludes to a clear warning, reflecting the government’s irritation.
“Ambassadors hosted by and accredited to another country have an obligation to respect it, as well as United Nations resolutions,” government spokesman Nikos Christodoulides said on Friday. “They must exercise extreme caution so that their contacts do not legitimise the breakaway state in the north.”
Although no statements were made following the meeting, state TV yesterday cited a government source that implied further action may be forthcoming.
“Such incidents are not addressed with words, but with actions,” the source said.
