Views of arrival at the British Parliament and a demonstration by the Organisation of the Relatives of Cypriot Missing People which is followed by the opening address by President of the Federation of Cypriots in the United Kingdom, Peter Droussiotis, in one of the Committee Rooms within the Palace of Westminister.
Extracts from speech by Peter Droussiotis:
"This event marks 35 years since the crimes inflicted on Cyprus and the Cypriot people in July 1974.
"For 35 long years the will of the international community has been defied by Turkey. For 35 long years Turkish troops have continued to occupy northern Cyprus with impunity. They have created and sustained in the occupied areas an illegal regime which no one other than Turkey recognises, in contravention of the UN Charter and international law.
"During this long period, countless Turkish people from Turkey have been transferred to live in the occupied areas, in a deliberate policy executed by Turkey to change the demography of the island. During the same period, Cypriot properties have been usurped and are exploited for economic gain. Cultural and religious sites, the cultural heritage of the island in the north of Cyprus has been deliberately desecrated and destroyed and to this day Turkey refuses to investigate hundreds of cases of missing people, of people who went missing during the military invasion of 1974, contrary to the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights which Turkey blatantly disregards.
"All of these things have been done, and continue to be done in the 20th and 21st centuries before the eyes of the whole world by a country that is knocking at the door of Europe and that has just been voted as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, and which is often held up as an example of a democratic state in the Islamic world.
:small passage omitted:
"Turkey has a unique opportunity in the current climate of the direct negotiations that are taking place on the island to change its intransigent stance in relation to the Cyprus issue, to demonstrate that it is a country willing to change. This change must mean that Turkey recognises the Republic of Cyprus, a member state of the European Union which Turkey is seeking to join. It means that it must end the island's military occupation and the division which it sustains by force of arms.
"But Turkey needs to understand too that it will not be accepted as a member of the European Union without a solution in Cyprus that is freely negotiated by the Cypriots themselves. Turkey must understand that it will suffer a cost if it refuses to allow a settlement based on the UN Charter and the principles of European and international law.
"The United Kingdom, a close ally of Turkey with historic responsibilities to Cyprus, must exert real pressure on the Turkish Government to support with deeds, nor merely with words - because unfortunately words are cheap even in the world of international diplomacy - to support therefore with acts and deeds the true unity of the island.
"You, ladies and gentlemen, as members of Parliament here in the United Kingdom, long standing friends of Cyprus - you have the platform and you have the opportunity in this House of Commons to remind the UK Government of its obligations to Cyprus and to speak out in the name of justice for Cyprus.
"Thank you very much."
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The annual event, organised by the Federation of Cypriot Organisations in co-operation with cross party Members of Parliament, was held to mark the 35th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in July 1974.
http://www.cypriotfederation.org.uk
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No negotiations EU-Turkey for accession any moreby VlaamsBelangEuropa821 views
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