NICOSIA – The European Union’s human rights arm, the 47-member Council of Europe (PACE) approved a resolution reaffirming the right of Greek-Cypriots who fled 1974 invasions to properties in the abandoned resort of Varosha moving toward development.

Turkey and Turkish-Cypriot hardline nationalist leader Ersin Tatar are moving to open the once-luxurious resort area that’s been left as it was 50 years after two unlawful Turkish invasions, buildings and infrastructure deteriorating.

PACE followed the lead of the United Nations which also passed a resolution – similarly non-binding – that properties on the now occupied northern third still belong to the rightful owners, many of them Greek-Cypriot, The Cyprus Mail said.

Only Turkish members of PACE, which has 47 countries represented, voted against the resolution, with Cypriot members refuting Turkish claims and saying the move to reopen the resort goes against the UN and increases tension.

A Cypriot PACE member, Giorgos Loukaides, said that the fait accompli imposed by the occupying power on Varosha was “the worst since the illegal declaration of the pseudo-state in 1983,” and made reunification more unlikely.

The resolution refers to the invasion and occupation in the context of Cyprus and the special circumstance of Famagusta and calls for a revocation of Turkey’s illegal actions which it judges as an impediment to the resumption of talks based on the UN framework

“The resolution considers as the only feasible solution the return of the city to its legal inhabitants, through the implementation of resolutions 550 and 789 of the United Nations Security Council or as part of a package of confidence-building measures, thus strengthening efforts to achieve a comprehensive solution,” PACE said.

A Greek lawmaker from the ruling New Democracy, Giorgos Stamatis was appointed to speak on the resolution’s adoption on behalf of the European People’s Party and said that, “For 50 years Turkey has been violating human rights in a part of the island with the result that Nicosia remains to this day the only divided European capital.”

He noted that the international community is “calling for the withdrawal of Turkish troops from the region and the return of Varoshians to their legal residence,” turkey keeping some 35,000 soldiers there.

He said Turkey is violating international law in demanding two separate states and permanent partition of Cyrus, with Tatar saying the United Nations must recognize the rogue self-declared republic accepted only by Turkey.