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The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs Anita Demetriou, received today a delegation of the Friendship Group for relations with Cyprus and Malta of the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag), which is visiting Cyprus, following an invitation by the House of Representatives. The delegation is led by the President of the Friendship Group, Mrs. Derya Türk-Nachbaur and includes the Deputy Presidents Mr. Florian Ossner, Lars Friedrich Lindemann, Dietmar Friedhoff and Member Mrs. Filiz Polat. The delegation was accompanied by the German Ambassador to Cyprus, Ms Anke Schlimm.
In welcoming the delegation, the Speaker of the Parliament underlined the importance that Cyprus and its Parliament attach to the further strengthening of relations and cooperation with Germany, both bilaterally and within the framework of the European Union, in order to address common challenges. Demetriou said that the Russian invasion is a flagrant violation of international law and a threat to the principles of democracy in the heart of Europe. At the same time, she said, Cyprus has been experiencing forty-nine years of division as a result of the Turkish invasion and occupation. Demetriou stressed that the desire of the Greek Cypriot side, as reaffirmed by the President of the Republic during his recent visit to Germany, is the resumption of negotiations from the point where they were interrupted, within the framework of the United Nations, to reach a solution of a bizonal, bicommunal federation, in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions. Unfortunately, said Demetriou, Turkey's intensifying provocations against the Republic of Cyprus, including the enclosed area of Famagusta, are moving us away from this goal. We will never, she stressed, accept the Turkish claim for a "two-state" solution, as neither the European Union nor the entire international community accepts it. He noted the important role that Germany, as a leading European country, can play in the direction of achieving a solution to the Cyprus problem, which will reunite the country in conditions of lasting peace, security and prosperity for the benefit of the Cypriot people as a whole and will showcase Cyprus as a model of peaceful coexistence for the region and beyond.
On behalf of the delegation, Ms Türk noted Germany's satisfaction with the clear support of the President of the Republic of Cyprus for the goal of the reunification of Cyprus. She reiterated Germany's principled position and support for a solution of a bizonal bicommunal federation within the framework of the United Nations and her country's readiness to contribute in this direction, if desired. Expressing gratitude for Cyprus' assistance in the evacuation of German nationals from Sudan as an expression of cohesion within the EU, Türk described the important role played by Cyprus as an EU Member State and noted the existing prospects for further strengthening relations between the two countries in areas such as energy, technology and culture. Among other things, Mrs Demetriou stressed the need to accelerate Cyprus' green transition and the role that the country can play as an alternative energy hub for the benefit of Europe's energy security. Regarding the migration issue, the President of the Parliament pointed out the disproportionate burden borne by the Republic of Cyprus as a result of the instrumentalisation of the migration issue by Turkey, which is methodically channelling migrants through the occupied territories to the free areas. There was a common position on the need to establish at EU level a common mechanism for migration and asylum, on the basis of equal burden-sharing between EU Member States and solidarity, which is a fundamental principle of the EU.
(The text as sent by the House of Representatives)
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