I thank the Cathaoirleach. We may be two countries far away from each other but we cherish a lot of similarities. We are struggling for independence, peace and freedom. That is why our friendship and connection are so important, especially nowadays. After Russia's brutality, nothing is a given, not even the democracies we want to serve. Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to address the House today.
Her Excellency, An Cathaoirleach, esteemed Senators and dear colleagues, I am deeply honoured to address Seanad Éireann today and I thank Her Excellency once again for this opportunity. This is part of my official visit to Ireland at the kind invitation of my counterpart, the Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann, Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl, exactly a year since his official visit to Cyprus. I feel the need to point out that I found him not only a dear colleague but a true friend, who was among the first to welcome me as the President of the Parliament and encouraged me to take up my demanding duties with faith and confidence. For this genuine friendship and his precious advice, I am deeply grateful.
This exchange at the highest parliamentary level reflects, above anything else, the excellent relations between our countries and our people. At the same time, it has injected new impetus into interparliamentary dialogue and co-operation, which we cherish and intend to further strengthen at all levels - bilateral, European and multilateral. Indeed, the warm welcome and hospitality shown to me and collaborators in the House of Representatives accompanying me proves beyond any doubt that the people of Cyprus and Ireland share a unique bond. Despite our two island states being at opposite ends of the European Continent, several thousand kilometres apart from each other, our hearts and souls are in tune and there exists a deep connection and understanding between us. This should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the recent turbulent history of each of our countries. Both have struggled with the painful experience of division and therefore have an additional reason to be strongly committed to upholding international law and the fundamental values and principles that underpin democratic, open and accountable societies.
Cyprus and Ireland, connected by their rich history, culture and traditions, are also strong advocates of European integration. As committed EU member states, they strive to build upon their respective national experiences and in parallel work side by side to safeguard the essential values of the European Union: respect for the rule of law, protection of human rights and respect for the principle of equality within and between member states, thus ensuring the voices of all member states are equally heard within the Union of the 27. In this framework, we aim to work hand in hand ahead of assuming successively the Presidency of the Council in 2026.
We have achieved remarkable co-operation between our two countries in a multitude of fields, namely, information and communication technologies, innovation, education, culture, tourism, the justice sector, business and commercial exchanges and the marine and maritime sectors. Ireland is a pioneer in the fields of innovation, investment in information and communication technologies, and Cyprus may take lessons in this regard. We can also work together, including at parliamentary level, for further co-ordination in the advancement of our roles as regional technology and science hubs and also based on the competitive advantages that both our countries have.
Cyprus and Ireland are both gateways into and out of the European Union in relation to the Middle East and the Atlantic, respectively, and are ideal bases for the establishment and development of multinational technological companies.
I am proud to say that parliamentary diplomacy has been instrumental in moving forward co-operation and exchanges between Cyprus and Ireland. Following the Ceann Comhairle's visit to Cyprus, along with Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas, there was increasing advancement of co-operation in the domains I mentioned. I am pleased to say that significant results have been achieved since then, also due to the diligent efforts of Cyprus's ambassador to Ireland, H.E. Charis Christodoulidou, and the Irish ambassador to the Republic of Cyprus, H.E. Conor Long, who deserve our praise and appreciation for their hard work and dedication.
As I highlighted, our two countries share a turbulent past of division stemming from colonial rule, civil strife and foreign interference. Despite the significant distinctions and different historical frameworks of each case, our peoples share a tragic past which has left its painful mark on our societies. Bearing this in mind, yesterday I paid a very interesting visit to the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation. I was impressed by the centre's outstanding work and, more particularly, by its women's programme which supports and empowers women who have experienced political conflict and-or violence to become active leaders in peace-making and peace-building. The Irish example is an aspiration for other women around the globe. In today's turbulent world, characterised by unprecedented uncertainty and instability, women have the insightfulness needed to deal with the multifaceted challenges that lie before us. As a young politician and the first female President of the House of Representatives, I place gender equality and the eradication of gender-based violence among my top priorities.
The competent authorities of Ireland and Cyprus have developed co-operation in the field of prevention and combating gender-based violence, which I am certain will be further developed. I acknowledge especially the pivotal role of Ireland during its Presidency of the Council of Europe in the prevention of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and the development of a culture of respect for human rights. The Cyprus House of Representatives, for its part, has enacted important legislation for the criminalisation of sexism and stalking, as well as for combating violence against women in line with the Istanbul Convention. Through an amendment to the law ratifying the Istanbul Convention, femicide has been introduced as a crime per se. Moreover, very recently, we enacted significant legislation that criminalises illegal practices of so-called "conversion therapies" in order to allow all citizens to explore their sexuality, gender identity and gender expression freely without any intervention. Gender equality is essentially a matter of human rights, democracy and justice. I cannot stress enough the need for collective action to dismantle the centuries of old stereotypes. Achieving gender equality to be reflected in all spheres of life is key to building stronger, fairer, more inclusive and more resilient societies.
For 49 years now, the people of Cyprus have suffered gross violations of international law and human rights as a result of the Turkish invasion and continuing occupation of more than one third of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus. For too long, we have yearned for the reunification of our country, which will enable the people of Cyprus and all Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots alike to prosper together in conditions of lasting peace and stability that will showcase Cyprus as an example of peaceful coexistence for the region and beyond. Some 200,000 Cypriots - one third of the population of the island - became refugees in their own country and hundreds remain, to this day, unaccounted for, known as the missing persons of the 1974 Cyprus tragedy.
Several rounds of talks over all these years under the aegis of the UN Secretary General have failed because Turkey has been escalating its unlawful claims against us operating the sovereignty rights of the Republic of Cyprus. This has culminated in its insistence on a two-state solution that runs counter to pertinent UN Security Council resolutions. We will never accept such inadmissible claims; claims that the EU and the entire international community have explicitly rejected, as they would be tantamount to the legitimisation of the Turkish invasion and occupation.
Turkish claims have also been manifest through escalating provocations aimed at the creation of new faits accomplis on the ground, including in the fenced area of Famagusta, as well as the exclusive economic zone of Cyprus, of which Turkey claims 44%. At the same time, Turkey has proceeded to further militarise the occupied northern part of Cyprus and has tightened its grip on Turkish Cypriots, who are far outnumbered by Turkish settlers, aiming at Islamisation and ultimately the annexation of the occupied area. The instrumentalisation by Turkey of irregular migrants, whom she channels through the occupied area to the government-controlled area with the aim of changing the demographic character and destabilising the Republic of Cyprus, is also part of Turkey's hybrid war against my country.
The Greek Cypriot side will continue to exert every effort towards the resumption of the negotiations stopped in Crans-Montana, in line with the UN framework and with the EU playing a more active role in the negotiation process with the aim of reaching a just and viable settlement of the Cyprus problem in accordance with international and European law and, of course, the UN resolutions. A settlement on the basis of the bizonal, bicommunal federation that will unify the country in conditions of lasting peace and security will ensure respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots – Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins – and will free Cyprus from occupation by troops and anachronistic guarantees. We need all the support we can get in this direction. We appeal to friendly countries especially and trust that EU partners like Ireland will exert their influence in order that Turkey will reverse its legal actions in Famagusta and return to the negotiation table, including for its own benefit and for the sake of peace and stability in our region. Cyprus is too small to be divided. Foreign occupying troops have no place in the civilised world, and there is no better guarantee for all Cypriots – Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins – than to enjoy the rights and benefits of belonging to a greater European family.
I need to mention today that we are indeed very grateful to Ireland for its principled stance on and steadfast support for our just cause over the years. We are particularly grateful for and appreciative of Ireland's unfailing commitment to and strong advocacy for international legality, which must prevail in today's increasingly unstable world and which is the sole weapon of small states against the logic of "Might is right".
In the course of its recent two-year term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, Ireland worked tirelessly to uphold the principles and values of the UN Charter and, in this context, has been a vocal and outspoken supporter of our efforts to reunify our country. We are deeply grateful for Ireland's participation in the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, UNFICYP, since 1964, currently with Irish police officers serving in UNPOL. More than 10,000 Irish troops and police officers have served with UNFICYP over the years, acting as yet another bridge connecting our two countries.
We are also very grateful for Ireland's significant support for the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus, which attests to its sensitivity as regards human rights and humanitarian issues. Irish people have also had a painful experience in this regard.
At this point, I reaffirm Cyprus's full alignment with Ireland with regard to the Windsor Framework vis-à-vis the avoidance of a hard border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland following Brexit, with an imperative that the provisions of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, as well as the Ireland-Northern Ireland protocol in the withdrawal agreement, as recently amended, be duly respected by all sides in order to forge a true relationship of equal partnership between the European Union and the UK.
Dear colleagues, guests and students, the ongoing war in Ukraine after the Russian invasion have dominated the global agenda. Cyprus, just like Ireland, has an additional reason to stand firm with principles and by the Ukrainian people defending their country and dignity, but also our European principles and democracy which are at stake, as propaganda justifying illegality is thriving. For the very same principle, Cyprus has fully aligned with EU sanctions, despite the inevitable cost on the economy and has kept its doors wide open for Ukrainian refugees, granting them benefits, despite being the EU member state with the largest number of asylum applicants per capita, mainly due to Turkish tactics. At the same time, we expect that same determination, which is rightfully expedited by the international community towards Ukraine, will also prevail for Cyprus. If we mean to work for peace, we must avoid double-standard policies.
Dear colleagues, students and Cathaoirleach, our two countries share a privileged relationship as partners within the EU family, where co-operation and mutual support are of the essence, as we try to navigate through particularly challenging times. In recent years, the European Union has had to address a multitude of complex challenges, namely, Brexit; the migration crisis; the Covid-19 pandemic; the climate emergency and the war in Ukraine. We are indeed at a historic crossroads with regard to developments in Europe and on a global scale. The very nature of the challenges we face shows us the way to proceed, which is no other than to uphold multilateralism and to tackle these global challenges in unity and solidarity. Only then can we hope for a brighter future, especially for our youth and generations to come.
Dear colleagues and friends, Cyprus and Ireland share challenging historical legacies but we are also united by our commitment to a better future. In the words of the Irish Nobel laureate, George Bernard Shaw, "We are made wise not by recollection of our past, but by the responsibility of our future." We thus have a responsibility towards our citizens to create the future our people desire, demand and deserve. Our success will depend on our ability to use the wisdom gained from past experiences and work together to shape a better future for all of us. I thank Members for their attention and the privilege of attending their Seanad.
