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One part mourns, the other celebrates as Cyprus marks 50 years since its separation

NICOSIA (Reuters) – Air raid sirens rang out in Cyprus’ ethnically divided capital Nicosia on Saturday morning as Greek Cypriots mourned and Turkish Cypriots marked the 50th anniversary since Turkey invaded part of the island in response to a brief, Greek-inspired coup.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis are expected to attend separate meetings on opposite sides of the divided island to express their support for the rival parties.

NATO allies have a number of disputes, including Cyprus. Although relations between Turkey and Greece have thawed recently, Cyprus remains an emotional trigger.

Erdogan was due to attend a celebratory military parade in northern Nicosia, marking what Turkey describes as a “peace and freedom operation”.

Church memorial services were held in the south to commemorate the dead, and Mitsotakis was due to attend an event on Saturday evening to mark what Greek Cypriots are calling a “black anniversary”.

Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, who leads the Greek Cypriot community in the reunification negotiations, said it was a somber day, full of reflection and remembrance of the dead.

“If we really want to honour all those people who sacrificed to make us here today – as the Republic of Cyprus – then we must do everything we can to restart a (peace) dialogue,” Christodoulides said Friday night.

Cyprus gained independence from Britain in 1960, but the shared rule of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots quickly fell apart in violence, with Turkish Cypriots retreating to enclaves and a UN peacekeeping force being sent in.

The Turkish invasion in 1974 took over a third of the island and expelled more than 160,000 Greek Cypriots to the south.

Reunification talks failed in 2017 and have been deadlocked ever since. Northern Cyprus is a breakaway state recognised only by Turkey, and the Turkish Cypriot leadership wants international recognition.

(Reporting by Michele Kambas; Editing by Tom Hogue)

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