British parliamentarians have drafted a resolution on the Cyprus problem, calling on the British government to exert pressure on Ankara to change its stance and show good will at the negotiating table.
The resolution was presented before the House of Commons two weeks ago and so far seventeen MPs have signed it. It was prepared by MPs Sir Alan Meale and Jim Sheridan.
In the resolution, the House expresses its continuous concern about the illegal occupation of the northern part of the island of Cyprus by Turkey following its invasion in 1974.
The House notes that despite international efforts, Turkey refuses to withdraw its military forces or allow Greek Cypriot citizens to return to their homes and properties, whilst encouraging wrongful settlement in the area by immigrants whom they allow to exploit land and properties expropriated from their rightful owners without any regard for national Cypriot cultural heritage.
The parliamentarians call on the British government, as a guarantor power of Cyprus’ independence, to insist that Turkey adopts a more constructive attitude in negotiations aimed at establishing a viable, fair and lasting solution to the problem, and that as a gesture of goodwill it should agree to allow refugees from the ghost town of Famagusta and surrounding areas to return to their homes as outlined in United Nations Security Council Resolutions 550 (1984) and 789 (1992).
I wish all the Cypriots and those who are friends to the Cypriots a happy holiday and all the best for 2012, let’s hope we can work towards unity and peace in Cyprus quickly in 2012, before all the Turkish-Cypriots have left the island