The foreign ministry on Monday condemned the visit of Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz to the north on the occasion of the Turkish invasion in 1974.

“We remain committed to the ultimate goal of the liberation and reunification of Cyprus, on the basis of the agreed United Nations framework, through a sustainable solution that enforces international law and that will ensure the rights and well-being of all Cypriots,” the ministry said in a corresponding statement.

It added that Yilmaz’ renewed presence in the north “underlines and at the same time constitutes another expression of acceptance of the Turkish occupation and violations.”

“Violations which have been consistently and repeatedly condemned by the relevant Resolutions of the United Nations (UN) Security Council and by the international community, including the European Union (EU),” the ministry said.

Speaking at a military parade marking the 52th anniversary of the invasion on Monday, Yilmaz said that Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus in 1974 brought peace not only to Turkish Cypriots and to the north of the island, but to Greek Cypriots and the island in its entirety.

“The 11-year period of persecution and the ordeal which Turkish Cypriots endured between 1963 and 1974 ended, and the conditions for our brothers and sisters to live in peace and security in their own homeland were established,” he said.