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The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs Anita Demetriou, is making a three-day visit to London, the first official visit of a Speaker of the House of Representatives to the United Kingdom, following an invitation by the Speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, Sir Lindsay Hoyle. All meetings were attended by the High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus to the United Kingdom, Mr Andreas Kakouris.
The Speaker of the House of Commons met yesterday at the House of Commons with her British counterpart, during which the historic relations between the two countries and the important prospects for further strengthening cooperation between them in a variety of areas of mutual interest, particularly in the post-Brexit era, on the basis of the Memorandum of Understanding for Strategic Cooperation between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Cyprus, were underlined.
Referring to the Cyprus problem, the Speaker expressed disappointment at the obstacles the Turkish side is placing in the way of the resumption of talks, insisting on its claim for a two-state solution. Such claims, Demetriou stressed, which would legitimise the achievements of the Turkish invasion and occupation, cannot be accepted. The Speaker also deplored Turkey's intensifying provocations both in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic and in the enclosed area of Famagusta, in violation of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, as well as the instrumentalization of irregular migrants through the occupied territories into the free areas of the Republic of Cyprus. She stressed that Turkey must be persuaded to come to the negotiating table for a mutually beneficial solution in accordance with international and European law and the relevant UN resolutions, which will reunite the country and make Cyprus an example of peaceful coexistence, progress and prosperity for the Cypriot people as a whole, Greek and Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins. Given the special role played by the United Kingdom, we ask it to contribute in this direction, she said.
The President of the House of Commons underlined the importance of dialogue to resolve differences and expressed his support for efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem, stressing the importance of resuming talks as soon as possible.
In the House of Commons, the Speaker also had separate meetings with the Chair of the Education Committee Mr Robin Walker and with the Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee Ms Caroline Nokes and a working lunch with the Chairman Sir Roger Gales and Group Members Dr Matthew Offord (Vice-Chair), Mr Mark Jenkinson and Ms Catherine West. She also had a meeting with the Chair of the British Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Dame Maria Miller.
During the meeting with the Chair of the Education Committee, Ms Demetriou raised the issue of high UK university tuition fees for Cypriot students in the post-Brexit era and requested the Committee's assistance in mitigating the problem, either bilaterally or within the Commonwealth. Demetriou also stressed the need for a speedy resolution of the problems faced by Cypriot teachers appointed to schools in the community in relation to their leave to remain and work in the UK. Mr Walker expressed his readiness to assist in finding the most appropriate solutions to both issues.
During the meeting with the Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee, initiatives and actions undertaken respectively by the two Parliaments, in the context of legislative work and parliamentary scrutiny, to promote gender equality and greater representation of women in politics and decision making were discussed. Demetriou noted that these issues are high priorities for her as the first woman Speaker of the House of Representatives. Ms. Nokes showed interest in the legislation concerning the establishment of offences of sexism and femicide adopted by the House of Representatives and it was agreed to continue communication and exchange of best practices.
At the working lunch hosted in the President's honour by Sir Roger Gale, Chairman of the Intergroup on Cyprus in the British Parliament, Mrs Demetriou expressed her appreciation for the important contribution of the Group for decades in promoting the rights of the Cypriot people, and in the efforts for the proper resolution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of the principles of international law. The Speaker briefed the British MPs on the current situation regarding the Cyprus problem, stressing that the primary objective of the Greek Cypriot side is to resume the talks from the point where they were interrupted in Crans Montana. Pointing out the obvious similarities in terms of violations of international law and human rights by Russia in Ukraine and by Turkey in Cyprus, Ms Demetriou stressed the need for the international community to abandon the logic of two measures and two stations and really work for peace.
Moreover, during the meeting with the President of the UK Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Dame Maria Miller, the active participation and substantial contribution of the Cypriot delegation in promoting the objectives of the CPA was underlined. In this regard, Ms Demetriou noted the actions taken by the Cypriot delegation as Speaker of the Cyprus Parliament to assist the efforts of the Association to change its legal status in the UK. Mrs Demetriou and Mr Miller discussed ways of deepening relations between the Parliaments of Cyprus and the United Kingdom in the context of the Commonwealth, with an emphasis on issues of equality and women's representation.
In addition, last night, Mrs Demetriou attended a formal dinner hosted in her honour by the Speaker of the House of Commons in the presence of Members of the House of Commons and other dignitaries.
(Text as sent by the House of Representatives)
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