We will never accept a “two-state” solution in Cyprus, as it would legitimize the faits accomplis of the Turkish invasion and occupation, President of the House of Representatives Annita Demetriou said on Friday, calling on Turkey to comply with its international obligations and end provocations and illegal unilateral actions aimed at creating new fait accomplis.
According to a press release by the House of Representatives, in her intervention, during the second day of the proceedings of the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament, which concluded on Friday in Rome, Demetriou underlined that respect for international law is a fundamental condition for the restoration of justice and human rights in Cyprus.
Referring to the Cyprus issue, she noted that 52 years have passed since the Turkish invasion that resulted to more than one third of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus still being under occupation. The Greek Cypriot side, she said, looks forward to the resumption of substantive negotiations, within the framework of the United Nations, with the aim of achieving a solution on the basis of a bizonal, bicommunal federation, with political equality, as defined in the relevant UN resolutions, for the liberation and reunification of Cyprus.
Moreover, she spoke of double standards by the international community, noting that the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, despite their obvious similarities, are not being addressed with the same sensitivity and determination.
‘Violations of international law, wherever they come from, must be addressed with consistency and accountability,’ she stressed.
Demetriou highlighted the significant contribution of parliamentary diplomacy, as a complement to traditional diplomacy, for defending international law and called on parliaments to take an active role in the renewal and strengthening of the international legal order.
During the second day, Demetriou participated in a discussion on ‘Renewing the rules-based international order: the role of parliaments in addressing and responding to contemporary crises.’
She made special reference to small European states, such as Cyprus, which, unable to rely on military force, have a vital interest in the existence of a binding international framework of principles.
Concluding, Demetriou noted that in the context of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union during the first half of 2026, the importance of joint action based on principles and collective response to challenges were highlighted as well as the role of Cyprus as a pillar of security and stability in the region.
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 due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose term nears its end, announced he would convene another meeting in broader format, after adequate preparation, but gave no timeline. He secured to that end the consensus of both sides and of the guarantor powers. María Angela Holguín, Guterres’ Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties. Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto acts as the European Commission’s Special Representative for Cyprus, succeeding EU special envoy Johannes Hahn.