Tiny Kox: “There is no need to start all over again”

The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Tiny Kox, has called on Turkey to drop its push for a “two-state” solution, stressing that the only viable solution in Cyprus is a bi-communal and bi-zonal federation with political equality.

Kox, who was addressing Cyprus’ House Plenum during an official visit to the island this week, said the Cyprus problem was not just a Cypriot issue but an international one as well – and particularly a European one.

Referring to the initiative by President Nikos Christodoulides – who was present – to seek a more active EU involvement in efforts to resume negotiations for a solution, Cox said he endorses “his call to see whether the European Union could do more to make a sustainable solution possible, based upon the relevant UN resolutions and negotiation work that has already been done”.

He added, “There is no need to start all over again. It would be my humble advice to continue from efforts that did remain at Crans Montana and from convergences that have been recorded over the years. The so called ‘Guterres framework’ is there to serve you and should be reaffirmed. I welcome this month’s statement of the European Council calling for resumption of negotiations and indicating its willingness to help to strengthen efforts from UN-side in this respect”, Kox noted.

Kox said that PACE stands ready to engage with Cyprus’ parliament and government in helping to find viable and effective ways to resolve the Cyprus problem and will put all mechanisms, resources and expertise at the island’s disposal for this purpose.

He also applauded the efforts to involve local communities, women and youth more in this process. Referring to the situation in Famagusta, PACE Head said that a report on the situation in Famagusta is currently in preparation by Piero Fassino.

Kox also said that the Russian aggression against Ukraine has not just challenged the Council of Europe as a unique European peace project, it also underlined the risks of neglecting other frozen conflicts in Europe and the Cyprus problem as the oldest of such conflicts is the most vivid example.

“I strongly believe that efforts to restore, strengthen and perhaps re-invent European democratic security and rules-based multilateralism will need to address the frozen conflicts, and the Cyprus problem in particular”, he noted.

Referring to the recent Summit in Reykjavik he said that the implementation of the Summit’s declaration will be their priority for several years to come and urged the Cyprus parliamentarians, to support this process by considering the best ways of streamlining its provisions in the national legislation and integrating them into the dialogues with the national government.

“I am confident a debate on the Reykjavik declaration, as has already been done in some other European countries, will be a most interesting and engaging event, which will also demonstrate the relevance of this document for Cyprus”, he noted.

House President Annita Demetriou said: “We are making every effort to resume the talks from where they were left in Crans Montana, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General with the aim of achieving a just and sustainable solution to the Cyprus problem, in agreement with international law and relevant resolutions of the UN and European principles and values.”

She added, the Turkish side’s claim for a "two-state" solution will never be accepted, as it violates the framework of the UN while it has also been rejected by the EU and the entire international community.

Demetriou also noted that Cyprus rightly feels disappointed by the decision of the Committee of Ministers of CoE to end the supervision of the Court's decision in the case of Titina Loizidou v. Turkey, precisely because the ongoing violations are not statute-barred and because this negative development creates a dangerous precedent for other states that suffer similar violations.

She noted that this is the reason that the continued monitoring of the ECHR decision in the 4th Appeal of Cyprus against Turkey is crucial.