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It is with great pleasure that I welcome to Cyprus and to the House of Representatives, in the presence of the President of the Republic of Cyprus, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Dear Mr. President,
Your presence here underlines the deep feelings of friendship that bind you to Cyprus and its people, as well as the continued interest of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and its President in our country.
We are living in a time of tectonic changes in the international environment, dominated by growing instability in the light of successive crises and their multi-layered consequences for states, societies and citizens. The ongoing war in Ukraine, which has been going on for more than 18 months, has dealt another deep blow to the long-suffering European continent, reminding us that nothing should be taken for granted. Today, more than ever, humanity needs strong and unshakeable reference points, which cannot be other than our common principles and values of peace, freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
The Council of Europe is committed to defending these ideals and principles, as the guardian par excellence of human rights and fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law in Europe. The European Convention on Human Rights, the European Social Charter and many other conventions on key issues that safeguard human beings and their fundamental rights as a prerequisite for their natural and social development are the main reference point and compass of the Organisation. Through the multifaceted action and recommendations of the Organisation and its various bodies and mechanisms, the framework for more democratic and resilient societies, where mutual respect and tolerance of diversity prevail against racism and intolerance, is being strengthened. Free expression against intimidation and silencing and accurate and responsible information against misinformation. Good governance, transparency, meritocracy and gender equality, against corruption, favouritism, backward thinking and domestic violence. In this principled struggle, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe deservedly occupies a prominent position, demonstrating the added value and potential of parliamentary diplomacy. The House of Representatives, with its small but dynamic delegation, is actively and substantially present in the important decisions and actions of the Assembly and, in turn, benefits in many ways from its status as a member state of the Organisation, incorporating and developing its acquis into targeted policies and actions.
Mr President,
The commitment of the Republic of Cyprus to the European Convention on Human Rights and its Additional Protocols is absolute, as is our compliance with the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights and, to this end, the House of Representatives does its part, taking into account the case law of the Court in the exercise of its legislative powers.
At the same time, Cyprus is suffering the painful consequences of Turkey's violation of key articles of the Convention as a result of the Turkish invasion and continued occupation of part of its territory. By a state which is among the countries with the highest number of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights condemning it, most of which it disregards. We therefore rightly feel disappointed at the decision of the Committee of Ministers to end the monitoring of the Court's judgment in the case of Titina Loizidou v. Turkey, precisely because the ongoing violations are not time-barred and because this negative development sets a dangerous precedent for other states suffering similar violations. And it is for this very reason that continued monitoring of the ECtHR's decision in Cyprus' 4th Inter-State Application against Turkey is crucial.
Mr. President,
Cyprus, because of its own traumatic experience, had an additional reason to stand from the very first moment on the side of Ukraine and its people in defending international law and human rights, which were and continue to be brutally violated on its own territory. We believe in peace and are working tirelessly towards it. At the same time, we expect all those who claim to do so to show a similar reaction and determination towards those who violate international law, without exceptions or discounts. The logic of two measures and two stations undermines the goal of peace.
We are making every effort to resume the talks from the point where they were interrupted in Crans-Montana, under the auspices of the UN Secretary General, with the aim of achieving a just and viable solution to the Cyprus problem, in accordance with international law and the relevant UN resolutions and European principles and values. We need to seize every step and opportunity to bring us closer to the desired goal, which is none other than the reunification of our country in conditions of lasting peace, stability and prosperity and to ensure a better future for our young people and future generations. We will never accept the unacceptable claim of the Turkish side for a "two-state" solution, which is outside the framework of the United Nations and which the European Union and the entire international community has explicitly rejected.
We are concerned about the ever-increasing number of Turkish settlers and about Turkey's suffocating control over all aspects of Turkish Cypriot life in the occupied territories in order to serve its revisionist and expansionist goals.
We are concerned about the ever-increasing number of Turkish settlers and about Turkey's suffocating control over all aspects of Turkish Cypriot life in the occupied territories in order to serve its revisionist and expansionist goals. We are making every effort to keep alive our connection with our Turkish Cypriot compatriots, looking forward to building a peaceful and more promising future in our common homeland.
Mr President,
The Council of Europe and the Parliamentary Assembly have been dealing with the Cyprus problem and its individual aspects throughout the years. We express our sincere appreciation for the strong resolutions adopted from time to time by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the situation in Cyprus, the settlement of the occupied territories, the humanitarian issue of the missing persons and the destruction of our cultural heritage in the occupied territories. We expect that the report and the resolution of Rapporteur Mr Piero Fassino, which will be discussed soon in the Assembly, will be fair and objective with regard to Turkey's continuous provocations and illegal actions in the enclosed area of Famagusta and the need to return the city to its legitimate inhabitants, in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions.
Mr President,
Multicultural Cyprus since its inception promotes solidarity, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence. In this context, our country is making every effort to manage the disproportionate migratory flows compared to its population, mainly as a result of the instrumentalization of irregular migrants from Turkey, with all that this entails for the demographic character, security and stability of our country. The primary concern of the Republic of Cyprus is full compliance with its international obligations towards these people, with full respect for their rights. At the same time, we expect our European partners to rise to the occasion for a collective and effective response to this challenge, on the basis of solidarity and equal sharing of responsibility. Some Member States cannot bear a disproportionate responsibility for tackling the issue and others simply refuse to cooperate.
Mr President,
I take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation for your decisive role in the success of the pivotal Reykjavik Summit, which reaffirmed the principles and values of the Council of Europe and our collective responsibility to protect and strengthen democracy and security in Europe. The House of Representatives will carefully consider the implications of the Summit for action by national parliaments for a more resilient and democratic Europe.
I also take the opportunity of your presence here to express my personal thanks to my fellow members of the Cypriot delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe for their substantial participation and contribution to the promotion of the objectives of the Organization, assuring you of our will and intention to continue and further strengthen this very constructive cooperation.
Colleagues, I thank and congratulate you.
Dear President,
Welcoming you again to Cyprus and wishing you every success in your work, I invite you to the podium for your address.
(Text as sent by the House of Representatives)
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