Nicosia: House of Representatives President Annita Demetriou expressed on Monday the hope that Turkey will cooperate for the resumption of substantive talks to reach a solution that reunites Cyprus.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Demetriou was speaking during a meeting with a delegation of officials from various countries who are in Cyprus to attend the anti-occupation events ‘Morfou Remembrance Days’. The delegation includes MPs from Greece, the United Kingdom, and Slovenia, as well as mayors, deputy mayors, and municipal councilors from Greece, Serbia, Slovenia, and Malta. The group was accompanied by the Mayor of Morphou, Viktoras Hadjiavraam, and members of the Municipal Council of the occupied Municipality.
The press release notes that the House President expressed “gratitude for the presence of foreign dignitaries at the events in the occupied municipality of Morphou and for their steadfast support for the struggle of the Morphou people for justice and return.” Regarding the Cyprus problem, Demetriou expressed hope that Turkey will abandon its unacceptable rhetoric on the ‘two-state’ solution and cooperate towards resuming substantive talks to reach a solution that reunites Cyprus, aligned with international law and the relevant UN Resolutions.
She emphasized the importance of joining forces to defend international legitimacy and justice in the case of Cyprus. “Five decades,” she stressed, “is a very long time that the Cypriot people have been suffering from violations of fundamental human rights due to the Turkish invasion and continued occupation of part of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus.” In this regard, the President of the Parliament pointed out that Turkish provocations on the territory and in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus are a daily phenomenon.
Annita Demetriou made special reference to the ongoing illegal detention by the occupying regime of the five Greek Cypriots displaced on the basis of non-existent charges, as retaliation for the prosecution by the Republic of Cyprus of foreign usurpers of Greek Cypriot property. She noted the resolution recently adopted by the European Parliament condemning the illegal detention and requested the assistance of the participating officials for their immediate release.
With regard to developments in the Middle East, Demetriou expressed the hope that the agreement reached on Gaza will be implemented and lead to a definitive solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as a tangible example of the fact that there are no conflicts that cannot be resolved.
On their part, the foreign officials expressed hope that a solution to the Cyprus problem will be reached and expressed their willingness to contribute to ending the suffering experienced by the five Greek Cypriot displaced persons who are illegally detained in the occupied territories.