President Nikos Christodoulides of Cyprus has announced that his government will not allow more than two dozen asylum-seekers to pass through the U.N.-controlled buffer zone on the divided island. The 27 migrants, from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Sudan, and Iran, are currently stranded in the buffer zone. While the government is ready to provide humanitarian assistance, Christodoulides made it clear that the buffer zone will not become a new route for illegal migration.
The U.N. refugee agency is providing basic necessities to the migrants, who were denied the opportunity to submit asylum claims by Cypriot authorities. The U.N. has stressed the need for the Republic of Cyprus to uphold its obligations under EU and international law and find a solution for the stranded migrants.
Cyprus, a member of the EU since 2004, faces challenges with migration, particularly through the north of the island from Turkey. Tough measures have reduced such crossings by over 85%, but the recent influx of migrants in the buffer zone has reignited the migration debate ahead of local and European Parliament elections. In the past, similar situations have occurred, with the most recent case involving Cameroonian asylum-seekers who were eventually taken to Italy by Pope Francis. Cyprus is working to prevent a repeat of such incidents while addressing the complex issue of migration on the island.
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