The UN Security Council has condemned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's plans for Cyprus.
In a declaration unanimously agreed on Friday, the most powerful body of the United Nations expressed its "deep regret" for Erdogan's actions, according to diplomatic circles.
During a visit to the Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus on Tuesday, Erdogan pushed ahead with plans to open the ghost town of Varosha and advocated continued division of the island.
The “unilateral actions” of the Turkish head of state run counter to existing UN resolutions, according to the Security Council statement.
The UN body calls for an end to the Cyprus conflict beyond a two-state solution and for the unilateral measures taken in Varosha to be withdrawn.
"The Security Council emphasizes the importance of full compliance with and implementation of its resolutions, including the handover of Varosha to the UN administration," reads the British-drafted text, which was submitted to the AFP news agency.
The declaration was supposed to be officially adopted by the Security Council on Friday, but this was only a mere formality after the text had been agreed.
Negotiations on the text had dragged on since Wednesday - not, however, as usual, to soften the declaration, but to tighten it.
India and China are committed to this.
Persistent split
The Turkish-controlled coastal town of Varosha is located directly on the UN buffer zone between the Turkish northern and Greek southern parts of the Mediterranean island.
The status of Varosha is the subject of UN Security Council resolutions.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974. At that time, the Turkish army occupied the north after a military coup by the Greek Cypriots. Cyprus has been a member of the EU since 2004, but European law is suspended in the northern part of the island until the conflict is resolved. The UN has long tried to mediate, so far without success. Turkey is the only state that recognizes the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which was proclaimed in 1983.