Australian Parliamentarian refers to Cyprus during Syria speech

Australian Parliamentarian Steve Georganas has referred to Cyprus in an address before the Parliament, on a resolution he tabled calling on the country’s government to urge Turkey to cease its unilateral military operations in Syria and to support international efforts to hold Τurkey to account for its actions.

In his address, Georganas recalled that the Kurdish forces played a vital role in the defeat and capture of Islamic State terrorists.

“The Turkish military action in north-eastern Syria has jeopardized that hard-fought and very fragile victory over Islamic State.”

“The Turkish military action in north-eastern Syria has jeopardized that hard-fought and very fragile victory over Islamic State, and there are reports that 12,000 captured Islamic State terrorists and supporters have been freed as a direct consequence of this Turkish invasion,” he noted.

Referring to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s reasons over this action the Australian MP said that “I have to say it brought back memories of 1974, when the exact same excuse was used to invade northern Cyprus, where 40,000 troops still are today, having not left since 1974.”

“This action and the excuses that are being used are exactly the same as in 1974, so this should be of great concern to the leaders of the world,” he added.

“This action and the excuses that are being used are exactly the same as in 1974, so this should be of great concern to the leaders of the world.”

“We want stability in that region,” he said, adding that “we want to ensure that there is peace in that region.”

“But I cannot see it, with the meddling of Turkey in places like the eastern Aegean, Libya and, of course, this horrific event which is taking place at the moment,” he pointed out.

“We want to ensure that there is peace in that region.”

House of Representatives President Demetris Syllouris, who paid last week an official visit in Australia, expressed his satisfaction over Australia’s and its Parliament’s positions of principle on the implementation of international law and Cyprus and its people’s gratitude for the country’s long-standing support.

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.