The essence of the Cyprus issue and the Middle East problem is found in the fundamental principles of international law, which until today are being flagrantly violated, Cypriot member of the House of Representatives Christos Stylianides has said.
Addressing the annual Fall Meetings of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Toronto, Stylianides referred to the fresh attempt to reach a Cyprus solution, which began under UN auspices in September between the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.
The aim of the Cyprus talks, Stylianides said, is to reach an agreed solution that would reunify Cyprus, which is under Turkish occupation since 1974, on the basis of a bicommunal, bizonal federation, with one sovereignty, nationality and international personality.
“We urge Turkey to seize the momentum, show the necessary political will and spirit of cooperation, to reach a viable, functional solution of the Cyprus issue, which would comply with international law, European principles and values and the values of the Helsinki Final Act”, he added.
The Cypriot MP also referred to the Union for the Mediterranean, a project put forward under the current French EU presidency, saying that it constitutes a step towards the enhancement of Euro-Mediterranean relations, aiming at securing conditions of peace, stability and prosperity in the region.
Cyprus participates in the OSCE annual Fall Meetings with one more MP, Athina Kyriakidou.
The OSCE will discuss mainly issues concerning trade, security and migration, as well as the crisis in Georgia.
Around 200 parliamentarians representing 47 OSCE countries are scheduled to attend the Fall Meetings, which are hosted by the Parliament of Canada.
The speakers include Joao Soares, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, David Emerson, Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Noel A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate of Canada, Peter Milliken, Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada, Senator Consiglio Di Nino, head of Canada's delegation to the OSCE PA, Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, OSCE Secretary General, and Janez Lenarcic, Director of OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.
