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House Plenary passed a resolution on Ukraine

25/02/2022 16:44

Cyprus Parliament Plenary on Thursday passed unanimously a resolution condemning Russia`s invasion of Ukraine and calling for an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory.

The Parliament said it supports the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders as a matter of international law adding that Moscow`s recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk regions as sovereign and independent, constitutes a violation of the principle of territorial integrity of the states. Furthermore, the Parliament said, Russia`s action is a withdrawal from the Minsk Agreements, pointing out that respect for and non-interference in sovereign states` internal affairs is a cornerstone of  international law.

Cyprus Parliament in its resolution also emphasizes that the continuous and systematic violation of human rights in these areas, is a substantial violation of the Minsk agreement and it expresses its concern that the intense militarization and geopolitical confrontation that is developing in the region poses a threat to security and peace in Europe and internationally.

The resolution calls for return to the dialogue within the framework of the Minsk Agreements and for additional diplomatic initiatives, which could lead to the de-escalation of tensions and the peaceful settlement of the crisis in Ukraine.

In the resolution, the Parliament also condemns the provocative and hypocritical attitude of Turkey to condemn the illegal and unilateral declaration of independence of the breakaway territories of Donetsk and Luhansk from the Russian Federation, when Turkey itself recognized the UDI of the illegal occupied areas in Cyprus.

The MPs called for the European Union to show consistency and consequently the same stance for Russia and Turkey.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied the island’s northern third.
Numerous rounds of UN-backed talks to reunite the island under a federal roof failed to yield results.

On 15 November 1983, nine years after the Turkish invasion of the island, Turkey instigated and endorsed a “unilateral declaration of independence” in Cyprus` occupied areas, announced by the Turkish Cypriot leadership. The United Nations Security Council with Resolutions 541 and 550 calls upon all States to respect the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, unity and non-alignment of the Republic of Cyprus. They also describe the UDI as "legally invalid."

The illegal Turkish Cypriot regime in the occupied areas is recognized only by Turkey.