An event on the occasion of the anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Cyprus was organized on Tuesday night by the Association of Famagusta of the United Kingdom in a parliament hall in Westminster.
The event provided an opportunity to discuss the prospects for resolving the Cyprus issue, and in particular the aspect concerning Famagusta between British MPs, the High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus Evripidis Evriviadis and members of the community.
The host of the evening, Chairman of the Inter-Party Parliamentary Committee for Cyprus, Sir Roger Gale, said that the goal of those interested in Cyprus is for Cypriots to live harmoniously without outside interference or troops, certainly not with the Turkish occupation troops.
"I hope that Anastasiadis and Akinci will be able to continue where they left off the negotiations. "If it were just the two of them, I am convinced that we would have a solution, but there is also Mr. Erdogan," the Conservative MP commented.
"Whatever President Anastasiadis and Mr. Akindzi do, we will support them. "I do not know exactly how we will deal with the third man, but I promise that the full support and support in Cyprus will continue beyond the party dividing lines in the British Parliament," added Sir Roger.
North London Conservative MP Matthew Oford said the outcome of the Crans Montana Conference was disappointing, but noted that he hoped for progress. As he pointed out, an important step would be the return of Famagusta to its legal inhabitants.
He added that until the solution was reached, the United Kingdom must contribute to its achievement.
Conservative Martin Vickers also assured those present that they could count on his support, saying he had known Cyprus through his travels.
Labor MP of Cypriot descent, Pampos Charalambous, said he had recently visited Cyprus, met with organizations and found "moderate hope" that progress would be made. He added that it is necessary to hear the voice of the Cypriot community, because time is running out.
For his part, the High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus to the United Kingdom, Euripides Evryviadis, thanked the MP friends for their support and devotion, whom he described as "friends of all times".
Referring to the goal of the solution of the Cyprus problem, Mr. Evryviadis said, among other things: "We will excel, we will not give up, because this is an existential issue. "We want nothing more than the citizens of other democracies, human rights, freedom and the rule of law within the EU."
He added that regardless of Brexit, the Cyprus-Britain relationship will continue as a umbilical relationship, based on common values and principles, based on contacts between the two peoples, education, trade, tourism and cooperation on issues such as countering terrorism and the challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean.
He noted the recent announcement by Prime Minister Theresa May to reach an agreement on the bases in view of Brexit, an agreement that ensures the smooth daily life of those who live and work in the base areas.
He also assured that "Famagusta is in our hearts", and said that its return to its legal residents would be a measure of building trust.
The President of the Famagusta Association of the United Kingdom and organizer of the event Dr. Vassilis Mavrou first made a reference to the history of Cyprus since independence, as well as the role of Britain and then focused on the struggle for the return of Famagusta.
He pledged that the Association would continue this struggle and recalled that the campaign had collected more than 50.000 signatures a few years ago, with the request and cover letter being delivered to the British Prime Minister's Office and international organizations.
He added that he has received the support of decision-making centers as well as Turkish Cypriots, from whose support he said he was encouraged. He also noted the support of the British Inter-Parliamentary Parliamentary Committee for Cyprus, while noting the adoption of a resolution in the House of Commons in November 2015 in favor of the return of Famagusta, as a measure that will facilitate a solution to the Cyprus problem and pave the way for cooperation. between the two communities and their economic development.
Present at the event were the municipal councilors of the municipality of Famagusta Andreas Kazamias and George Chatzitheodosiou, who conveyed thanks on behalf of the mayor Alexis Galanos. Mr. Hatzitheodosiou called on his fellow MPs and members of the parish to continue and intensify their efforts to return to Famagusta.
Famagusta.News / KYPE