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NICOSIA, July 15 (Xinhua) — Greek Cypriots on Sunday marked the 44th anniversary of a coup in 1974, which was used as a pretext by Turkey to send troops in Cyprus one week later to this eastern Mediterranean island.
Sirens were sounded at 8:20 on the hot Sunday morning to remind people of the exact time when soldiers led by Greek army officers started shooting at the presidential palace on top of a hill on the fringes of the capital Nicosia.
Solemn memorial services were held later in churches to pay tribute to soldiers and lay people killed defending the state.
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades urged people to reflect over the fact that the reason behind the coup was political divisions.
The coup was short-lived as its leaders handed the government back to the politicians after the Greek military junta which engineered the putsch collapsed 8 days later under the burden of the occupation of Cyprus by Turkish troops.
Anastasiades used the occasion of the coup anniversary to call for renewed negotiations for the reunification of the eastern Mediterranean island.
“Efforts by successive government were aimed at finding a peaceful and viable solution. Its basis has been agreed,” Anastasiades said.
An envoy of the UN Secretary General is expected to start consultations with parties involved next week on how to kick start negotiations which were halted inconclusively a year ago.

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