President of the Hellenic Parliament, Nikitas Kaklamanis, has said that it is a positive development that for the first time in 8 years there is some movement as regards efforts to solve the Cyprus issue.
Kaklamanis was addressing a special session of the House of Representatives plenary in Nicosia, where he is paying an official visit.
On her part, the President of the House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou, pointed out that the first official visit of Nikitas Kaklamanis to Cyprus as President of the Hellenic Parliament ‘entails high symbolism, but is also an act of fundamental political importance’, because ‘it demonstrates the strong historical ties between Greece and Cyprus and demonstrates the will of our two states to maintain a solid common front of Athens and Nicosia’.
Demetriou noted, inter alia, that ‘the strong fraternal bonds, the solidarity and the coexistence of Greece and Cyprus are reflected in the excellent cooperation between our two Parliaments over time, with a milestone in this cooperation being the publication of the ‘Cyprus File’, an extremely difficult undertaking, which contributes decisively to the goal of national self-awareness’.
She also assured that the House of Representatives will continue to work to further strengthen and expand cooperation with the Greek Parliament at all levels.
In his address, the President of the Hellenic Parliament, Nikitas Kaklamanis, pointed out that Greece and Cyprus have made it clear that a solution to the Cyprus problem is not conceivable without the complete withdrawal of the illegal occupation troops and without the liberation of Cyprus from anachronistic systems of guarantees and rights of third-party intervention in Cypriot affairs.
He noted that it is a positive development that for the first time in 8 years there is some movement in efforts to solve the Cyprus problem, at the initiative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the President of the Republic of Cyprus.
He also assured that, despite the climate of tension in the Hellenic Parliament, Cyprus is one of the few issues that unites the political parties in the Parliament.
Demetriou expresses gratitude for Greece’s support in efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem
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Addressing Kaklamanis, Annita Demetriou said that his first official visit to Cyprus, after his election to the presidency of the Hellenic Parliament, coinciding with the 65th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Cyprus “entails high symbolism, but is also an act of fundamental political importance”, because “it demonstrates the unbreakable historical ties between Greece and Cyprus and expresses the will of our two states to maintain a solid common front of Athens and Nicosia.”
The House President noted that the Republic of Cyprus has gone through a difficult course, marked by the coup of the Greek junta and the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. ‘Fifty-one years later,’ she went on to say, ‘the Cypriot people are experiencing the traumatic consequences of the continued occupation of over 36% of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, the forcible displacement of one-third of the population from their ancestral homes, the flagrant violation of fundamental human rights and freedoms, of our missing persons and their families, who are anxiously seeking information about their fate.’
‘The arrest, in mid-July, of five Greek Cypriots displaced by the illegal occupation regime when they wanted to visit their properties in their occupied village, constitutes a political act of intimidation and reprisals orchestrated by Turkey for the prosecution by the Republic of Cyprus of foreign usurpers of Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied areas,’ she stressed, reiterating that their immediate release is the only way out.
Annita Demetriou expressed deep gratitude for Greece’s unwavering support and cooperation in the consistent and uninterrupted efforts made by the Greek Cypriot side to resolve the Cyprus problem and reunify the country and its people, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and European values and principles. ‘We, as the House of Representatives, particularly appreciate the support of the Hellenic Parliament in every initiative and action we take, which aims to condemn the lawlessness against Cyprus and to compel Turkey to comply with international law and its Cyprus-related obligations towards the European Union,’ she stressed.
At the same time, she assured that ‘despite the arrogance and intransigence of occupying Turkey, we remain firmly committed to the goal of resuming substantive negotiations, within the framework of the UN, to achieve a viable and functional solution, which will free Cyprus from anachronistic guarantees and occupation troops.’ ‘We cannot, under any circumstances, accept the Turkish side’s demand for a ‘two-state’ solution, which would constitute a legitimization of the faits accomplis of the Turkish invasion and occupation. We seek a mutually beneficial solution, which will be a beacon of peace, stability, cooperation and prosperity in our wider region’, she underlined.
‘It is up to Turkey to decide whether it wants to be part of this equation’, Demetriou pointed out, adding that Turkey is moving in the opposite direction and is increasingly moving away from the fundamental principles and values of the European Union, which it aspires to join. ‘And while its degree of alignment with the European Union’s common foreign and security policy reaches only 5%, it claims its participation in the new European defense and security architecture’, she noted.
‘The international community’s response to Turkey’s beloved ‘gunboat diplomacy’ should certainly not be appeasement and the logic of double standards. The parallel between what happened in Cyprus and what is happening in Ukraine is obvious’, she pointed out.
Subsequently, the President of the Parliament said that ‘a country that maintains the threat of war against Greece, illegally occupies the territory of a member state of the European Union, attempts to create new faits accomplis within the buffer zone and in Famagusta and continues to violate the sovereign rights of Greece and Cyprus, brandishing the doctrine of the ‘Blue Homeland’, cannot have a role in the European defence and security architecture’.
‘The illegal Turkish-Libyan memorandum is another illustrative example of Turkish revisionism and blatant disregard for the rights deriving from the International Law of the Sea’, she noted.
‘Our neighbourhood is at the centre of major geopolitical turmoil and geostrategic confrontations that require vigilance, strategic planning and readiness. Greece and Cyprus are pillars of security and stability in a highly unstable region and have deservedly earned, as reliable partners, respect and trust internationally, a fact that is reflected in the building of solid alliances and strategic partnerships of mutual benefit with strong partners, always with respect for international law’, said Annita Demetriou.
‘However, the recognition, on the part of the international community, of the strategic value and contribution of Greece and Cyprus must be reflected primarily in practical solidarity against the Turkish threat, which our two countries face and which for Cyprus is clearly existential’, she stressed.
Referring to the current challenges facing Europe and the world, the House President pointed out that ‘no state can cope alone with the very difficult times we are going through.’ As she said, ‘collectivity and real solidarity are needed. Strong leadership and greater determination are needed to shield democracy against the rise of populism, extremism, hatred, disinformation and the undermining of democratic institutions. Greater social integration and participation are needed to regain the trust of the citizens we represent, especially young people,’ she added.
Referring to the upcoming assumption of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union by the Republic of Cyprus, Annita Demetriou said that ‘as the House of Representatives, we intend to respond in the best possible way to the promotion and support of the priorities and objectives of the Cyprus Presidency, highlighting the crucially important role of parliaments and the added value of parliamentary diplomacy in building a stronger, more resilient and even more democratic Union, which places the security and well-being of its citizens at the heart of its policies’.
‘The unbreakable fraternal bonds, the solidarity and the coexistence of Greece and Cyprus are reflected in the long-standing excellent cooperation between our two Parliaments, with a milestone in this cooperation being the publication of the ‘Cyprus File’, an extremely difficult undertaking, which contributes decisively to the goal of national self-awareness’, she stressed.
At the same time, she assured that the House of Representatives will continue to work to further strengthen and expand cooperation with the Hellenic Parliament at all levels. “A multi-level partnership, guided by the active participation of our parliaments in international and European affairs. A synergy, which will include joint initiatives and actions, aimed at promoting the well-intentioned interests of the two countries and at practical solidarity and support of the international community in defending the rights of Hellenism, on the basis of principles and as an indication of the significant contribution of Greece and Cyprus to the goal of regional peace and stability”, she underlined.
Addressing her Greek counterpart and referring to his long political career, Annita Demetriou said that she is well aware that Cyprus has always had a prominent position in his heart and was never absent from his actions.
Kaklamanis: There is no solution to the Cyprus problem without the withdrawal of occupying troops
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In his address, the President of the Hellenic Parliament, Nikitas Kaklamanis, said that his vision is to see the Republic of Cyprus united again, for the benefit of all Cypriots.
‘In all the positions in which I have been elected by the Greek people, whether as a Member of Parliament since 1990, or as a Member of the European Parliament, or as Mayor of Athens, I have taken initiatives to highlight the Cyprus issue, which constitutes one of the most characteristic examples of a blatant violation of the principles and rules of International Law,’ he pointed out, adding that he will do the same in his capacity as President of the Hellenic Parliament, utilising all the possibilities that exist within the framework of parliamentary diplomacy, in cooperation with his Cypriot counterpart, ‘to end the illegal occupation of Cyprus, to overturn the fait accompli of military violence, to restore international legitimacy.’
‘This constitutes a minimal debt for Greece and the political forces: a debt to all the fighters who fought for the independence of Cyprus, to all the heroes who defended the freedom of Cyprus and who resisted with unparalleled courage the numerically superior forces of Attila in the Turkish invasion of July-August 1974, under the unbearable burden of the criminal coup that preceded it,’ he stressed.
Since 1974, he continued, ‘successive governments of Greece and Cyprus have agreed that ending the illegal occupation is an entirely feasible goal, with the search for and achievement of a comprehensive, mutually acceptable solution to the Cyprus issue, within the framework of negotiations under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General.’
‘The framework for the negotiations, of course, can only be the relevant binding Resolutions of the United Nations Security Council,’ Nikitas Kaklamanis pointed out. At the same time, he noted that ‘Greece and Cyprus have made it clear that a solution to the Cyprus problem is not conceivable without the complete withdrawal of the illegal occupation troops and without the liberation of Cyprus from anachronistic systems of guarantees and rights of third-party intervention in Cypriot affairs.’
‘Nor, of course, is a solution conceivable without the unhindered implementation of the European acquis throughout the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, a member state of the European Union for more than twenty years,’ he pointed out. ‘The European acquis constitutes, moreover, the best guarantee for the respect of the rights of our displaced Greek Cypriot brothers and their families, but also of all Cypriot citizens, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Armenians, Maronites and Latins’, he added.
‘It is a positive development that for the first time in 8 years some movement is being recorded on the Cyprus issue, at the initiative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the President of the Republic of Cyprus’, he underlined.
‘The Cyprus issue is currently high on the agenda of the United Nations, while the European Union is also claiming a more active role, in all stages of the negotiation process for the resolution of the Cyprus issue, under the auspices of the United Nations’, he said.
‘The informal expanded meetings convened by Mr. Guterres in Geneva and New York, in March and July respectively, with the participation of the President of the Republic of Cyprus, the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, the Foreign Ministers of Greece and Turkey and the Deputy Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom are in principle a positive step,’ he said.
The President of the Hellenic Parliament expressed the hope that these meetings and the meetings subsequently planned by the United Nations can lead to the resumption of negotiations for the resolution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of the agreed United Nations framework. ‘This is in the interest of all Cypriots, including Turkish Cypriots,’ he noted.
‘Any insistence on demands for a two-state solution is against the framework of the United Nations, unacceptable and out of question,’ he stressed, adding that ‘actions such as the illegal detention of five Greek Cypriot citizens in the Turkish-occupied territories since July 19 do not contribute in any way to establishing a climate of trust between the two communities, as the Secretary-General of the United Nations seeks.’
Kaklamanis unequivocally condemned the illegal detention of Greek Cypriot citizens in the occupied territories and called for their unconditional release and return to their family homes.
He also assured that ‘in Greece, despite the prevailing climate of political acrimony, Cyprus is one of the few issues that unites all political forces within the Greek Parliament.’
Despite these challenges, he said, “the Republic of Cyprus has remained steadfast in its goal of resolving the Cyprus problem through negotiations within the framework of the United Nations.’
“Of course, we should not be under any illusions. The resolution of the Cyprus problem presupposes a change in Turkey’s stance”, which “requires, among other things, the constant awareness of the international community for the need to return to the negotiating table on the basis of the agreed framework of the United Nations”, Nikitas Kaklamanis pointed out.
What is certain, as he said, “is that in this great international cause of the resolution of the Cyprus problem, Greece supports the efforts of the Republic of Cyprus both through bilateral coordination and within the framework of the Security Council, as in the case of the final formulation and unanimous adoption of the most recent, resolution no. 2771/2025 Decision, but also in its other bilateral and multilateral contacts, as the restoration of the unity of the island is a duty of the entire international community’.
‘The bonds between Greece and Cyprus are indissoluble. We are connected by our history, our language, our religion, our common national struggles’, he stressed.
‘The close cooperation between Greece and Cyprus is today a valuable asset of stability, development and prosperity in this troubled corner of the planet and especially in this geopolitical context of multiple challenges’, said the President of the Hellenic Parliament.
‘Greece is Cyprus’s largest trading partner, while for Greece Cyprus is also one of its most important trading partners’, he noted. ‘The largest part of foreign direct investment in Cyprus comes from Greece. A significant part of Greek-owned commercial shipping flies the Cypriot flag,’ he said, adding that ‘our relations are constantly expanding and deepening.’
‘I recently had the pleasure of welcoming to the Hellenic Parliament the Rector of the National Kapodistrian University of Athens following the decision of the historic and largest University of Greece to open a Branch, faculties and departments in Nicosia and Larnaca, something that was made possible thanks to the support of you, the President and the Minister of Education of the Republic of Cyprus,’ he pointed out.
‘Our two countries also cooperate closely not only to further expand their bilateral relations, but also to jointly undertake initiatives with third countries to promote stability and development,’ said Nikitas Kaklamanis. He also stated that the cooperation between Greece and Cyprus is expanding at the parliamentary level, in a number of areas, noting that “the strengthening of the cooperation between the two Parliaments and their services is our long-standing mutual concern”.
At the same time, he assured that the Hellenic Parliament, its services and officials are committed to working tirelessly to intensify their cooperation with the House of Representatives.
He also said that within the framework of parliamentary diplomacy, the Hellenic Parliament is willing to undertake, in cooperation with the House of Representatives, appropriate initiatives to highlight the Cyprus problem and the urgent need to resolve it.
The continuous awareness-raising of the international community is a powerful tool of support in this direction, he stressed.
Referring to the anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Cyprus, the President of the Parliament said that there cannot be – both in Cyprus and in Greece – a contemplation on the need for a just and sustainable solution for Cyprus and all Cypriot citizens, on the need to clarify the fate of the last of the remaining Greek and Greek Cypriot Missing Persons. At the same time, he pointed out that the anniversary of Cyprus’ independence is the anniversary of “a country that, despite the heavy blow of the Turkish invasion, is a pillar of stability in our wider region. A country that the events that followed the 1974 invasion did not stop the development and progress in the free part of the island, but, on the contrary, implemented the “Cyprus economic miracle” and is today an admirable pole of prosperity and development in the vital region of the Eastern Mediterranean. A country that is a member of the great European family and the eurozone that in 3 months will assume for the second time the increased responsibility of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union”.
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. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
UNSG met with the two leaders President Christodoulides and T/c leader Ersin Tatar last week in New York city. A fresh meeting will probably take place in November. In the meantime his personal envoy Maria Angela Holguin is expected in Cyprus the next weeks to prepare the new meeting.