The Speaker of the House of Representatives Mrs.Anita Demetriou received today the Rapporteur of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the issue "Call for the return of Famagusta to its legal inhabitants", Italian MP Mr.Piero Fassino.
Welcoming Mr. Fassino, the Speaker of the Parliament pointed out that the Rapporteur's visit comes at a critical juncture for Cyprus, in light of the intensifying Turkish provocations, both in the EEZ of the Republic of Cyprus and in the enclosed area of Famagusta, in violation of the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions. Our only weapon, the Speaker stressed, is international law, which Turkey has been flagrantly violating in Cyprus for 48 years. We call, Ms Demetriou stressed, for a clear position on the part of the European Union and the international community against illegality, similar to that which the international community rightly observed in the case of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and which must apply in every case of violation of principles, instead of the logic of two measures and two stations.
The Speaker stressed that the aim of the Greek Cypriot side is the resumption of talks within the agreed framework of the UN, in order to reach a solution to the Cyprus problem, which will reunite Cyprus in conditions of peace and security for the benefit of the entire Cypriot people and stability in the wider region. Ms Demetriou noted that the President's proposal for confidence-building measures is aimed precisely at creating an appropriate climate that will allow the resumption of the talks. Unfortunately, she said, the Turkish side insists on a "two-state" solution, which cannot be accepted under any circumstances and has been explicitly rejected by the international community. Fassino that time is hampering the prospects for a solution, Ms. Demetriou noted that the visit of the CSTO Rapporteur contributes to the efforts of the Greek Cypriot side to be mobile, stressing that what is needed is precisely to convince Turkey to end its illegal actions in Cyprus and especially in the enclosed area of Famagusta and to come to the dialogue table, without setting unacceptable conditions, in order to break the deadlock if it truly seeks peace. The forty-eight years that have passed since the Turkish invasion of 1974, the President of the Parliament stressed, will not distract us from our unwavering commitment to the principles of international law, as demonstrated by the similar stance adopted by the Republic of Cyprus from the outset in the case of Ukraine, nor will they discourage us from continuing to strive for the resolution of the Cyprus problem and the vindication of the aspirations of the Cypriot people, especially our young people.
(Text as sent by the House of Representatives)
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