The work of the 3rd part of the 2022 session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) continues in Strasbourg. MEP Mr. Nicos Tornaritis, head of the Cypriot delegation to the CSCE, participated yesterday in a debate at the Assembly's plenary session on the current security challenges in Europe and the role of the Council of Europe.
Mr. Tornaritis, among other things, stressed that, today, Europe is facing increasing geopolitical tensions, new conflicts and other threats that need to be addressed immediately. He pointed out that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has provoked an immediate and strong reaction from the international community, which has shown its solidarity and support to the Ukrainian people by unanimously adopting a clear position against Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, he stressed, it is hypocrisy to hold only the Russian President responsible for his aggressive actions while tolerating the Turkish President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who with his intransigent and aggressive attitude is obstructing the solution of the Cyprus problem by violating the Exclusive Economic Zone of Cyprus and committing illegal actions in the enclosed city of Famagusta.
This aggressive behaviour, the Cypriot MP underlined, has recently also been directed against Greece with continuous violations and threats against the country's sovereignty and sovereign rights in the Aegean Sea. The leniency shown by the international community, he said, allows Turkey to unhindered promote its geostrategic interests and hegemonic ambitions in the wider region. He stressed that if this attitude continues, as well as the adoption of the logic of "two measures and two stations", then Europe will soon be faced with a new crisis with far-reaching and dangerous consequences. The Council of Europe must demand full commitment from its member states to the common principles and values of the Organization and condemn any action that violates international law and undermines democracy and the safeguarding of human rights.
(Text as sent by the House of Representatives)
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