The President of the House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou, has called on the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to use its influence on Turkey to cooperate in good faith toward resolving the Cyprus problem.
Speaking in Limassol on Thursday during a meeting of PACE’s Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs, Demetriou thanked members for their consistent support of Cyprus and their commitment to the principles of international law, democracy, and human rights.
Call for reunification and equality
“Our fervent desire and steadfast goal is the reunification of our country, in conditions of lasting peace, security and prosperity for all Cypriots, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians, and Latins, and especially for our young people, who deserve a more hopeful future,” Demetriou said.
She underlined that 51 years after the Turkish invasion and continued occupation of part of Cyprus, a full member of both the EU and the Council of Europe, the situation “has gone on for far too long.”
Appeal against double standards
Demetriou urged the international community to show “the same sensitivity and determination” towards Cyprus that it rightly showed towards Ukraine. “International law and human rights must prevail without exceptions or double standards,” she said, warning that such inconsistencies undermine peace and justice.
She also stressed that the violations of the rights of displaced Greek Cypriots, including property rights and the right of missing persons’ families to the truth, “cannot be subject to a statute of limitations as long as they continue.”
Detained Greek Cypriots and institutional reform
Referring to the recent case of five Greek Cypriot displaced persons detained for four months by the Turkish Cypriot authorities, Demetriou said that although they were acquitted, they have still not been allowed to return to the south. “I call on you to exert all your influence so that they can return immediately,” she said.
Demetriou also praised the work of the Council of Europe’s monitoring mechanisms, including GRECO and MONEYVAL, which she said help enhance transparency, integrity, and the functioning of democracy. “Their actions have contributed significantly to institutional maturity and citizens’ trust in public institutions,” she added.
Source: CNA