The effective response to the usurpation of occupied properties and Turkish provocations in the fenced off city of Varosha, the buffer zone and the selling off of our land to foreign nationals could only be found through a sustainable and functional solution to the Cyprus issue, House President Annita Demetriou said on Tuesday, addressing an event organized by the Pancyprian Refugees Union.

Demetriou noted that we are not allowed to let even a single moment go to waste and that with ethos and sincerity we must declare our will and readiness for the resumption of the peace talks, especially at this period with the appointment of a special envoy by UN Secretary General.

She pointed out that the resumption of the dialogue, should be on the basis of the agreed framework, for a bicommunal, bizonal federation, with political equality, in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.

Demetriou also assured that she closely monitors all the issues that are on the agenda of the Parliamentary Committee on Refugees.

She praised the work done in the Parliamentary Committee stressing that petty political interests must always be put aside for the benefit of the refugees and their rights.

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.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres appointed María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar of Columbia as his personal envoy for Cyprus, to assume a Good Offices role on his behalf and search for common ground on the way forward in the Cyprus issue.