Cyprus, like Germany in the past, is still experiencing the consequences of occupation, President of the House of Representatives Annita Demetriou said on Thursday.
Demetriou, who received a delegation from the German Bundestag, reaffirmed the commitment of the Greek Cypriot side to resuming talks to reach a solution of the Cyprus issue on the basis of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations.
According to a Parliament press release, the delegation is visiting Cyprus as part of their participation in a workshop of the “Robert Bosch” Foundation on “policy-making in Europe”.
Welcoming the members of the German Parliament, she talked about the excellent relations between Cyprus and Germany and their parliaments both at the bilateral level as well as within the EU and internationally, on the basis of common principles and values.
She also noted the important role of Germany in making key decisions at the European level and underlined that only with unity and solidarity can we address small and bigger challenges.
Replying to questions from the German MPs about the Cyprus issue and the efforts to solve it, the House Speaker reaffirmed the commitment of the Greek Cypriot side to the goal of resuming talks to reach a solution on the basis of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations. She also said that efforts should be intensified to strengthen trust between the two communities.
Demetriou said that Germany can contribute in this direction and exert pressure on the Turkish side to abandon its policies for a two-state solution and recognition of the illegal entity in the occupied territories. This, she said, can never be accepted, as it constitutes a violation of international law and the relevant UN resolutions for Cyprus.
She underlined that Cyprus, like Germany in the past, is still experiencing the consequences of occupation, adding that with the solution of the Cyprus problem and the benefits that will arise for the two communities, Cyprus will be an example of peaceful coexistence under conditions of security and respect for human rights of all Cypriots.
They also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest, such as the immigration problem and the energy crisis, the press release says.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results.
Source: Cyprus News Agency