‘BIASED’ BRIT MPS BLASTED – Cyprus Today Online

• UK politicians slammed for ‘one-sided’ stance on Cyprus

• Safety intervene after Home of Commons occasion turns ugly

 EXCLUSIVE 

By ELTAN HALİL

A GROUP of British MPs have been branded “biased” over their feedback on the Cyprus situation throughout an occasion on the Home of Commons in London.

Among the politicians, who’re members of the pro-Greek Cypriot All-Get together Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Cyprus, used phrases resembling “invasion” and “occupation” when referring to the 1974 Turkish Peace Operation on the island. 

Tensions flared on the finish of the assembly when some Greek Cypriots allegedly tried to “intimidate” Turkish Cypriot attendees as they tried to talk to the MPs. 

The MPs had been talking at a one-hour lengthy occasion hosted in affiliation with the Nationwide Federation of Cypriots within the UK, a London-based foyer group run by Greek Cypriots. 

The occasion was titled “Cyprus as a Regional Actor: Prospects, Challenges and Developments”. Visitor audio system included Greek Cypriot overseas minister Constantinos Kombos. 

It occurred on July 18, two days earlier than the forty ninth anniversary of the primary part of Türkiye’s navy intervention on the island, which was launched following a Greek-led coup to determine “Enosis”, or union of Cyprus with Greece, and assaults on the Turkish Cypriot inhabitants. 

Those that used inflammatory language included APPG for Cyprus chair and Conservative Get together MP Sir Roger Gale, who referred to the “occupation” of Cyprus and known as for a settlement that might consequence within the withdrawal of “each final occupying soldier out of your land”.

“With out that there could be no settlement, let’s be clear about that,” he added.

He additionally in contrast the state of affairs to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying that “had we performed extra as the UK in 1974, Cyprus may not be the place it’s now”.

Labour MP Bambos Charalambous, an APPG for Cyprus vice chair, was unable to attend the assembly however stated in a message “it’s now 49 years since Turkey invaded Cyprus” including that “it should be made clear to Turkey that talks for partition won’t ever be tolerated”.

Conservative MP Theresa Villiers, who can also be an APPG for Cyprus vice chair, despatched a message wherein she known as for the abolition of the Treaty of Assure underneath which Türkiye used its authorized rights to intervene in Cyprus in 1974.

“I’ve been clear that third-country ensures or rights to navy intervention haven’t any place in a future settlement,” she stated, regardless of the UK Authorities overseas coverage stance that it’s for the edges in Cyprus to agree on the problem of ensures in any potential settlement.

Fellow Tory MP and one other APPG for Cyprus vice chair, Caroline Nokes, who chaired the gathering, instructed these current within the room: “I do know that for a lot of, this can be a very tough time of the 12 months, one with reminiscences of the invasion coming to the forefront.”

Like Ms Villiers, she additionally known as the abolition of the Treaty of Assure, stating: “As a twenty first century state, a reunited Cyprus doesn’t want ensures.”

Whereas different parliamentarians who spoke on the occasion had been cautious to not discuss with Türkiye’s reputable motion in Cyprus as an “invasion” or “occupation”, all of them known as for a federal resolution in Cyprus primarily based on United Nations parameters, dismissing calls from President Ersin Tatar and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for a two-state resolution to the Cyprus drawback.

Lord Ahmad, a International, Commonwealth and Improvement Workplace minister, stated the very best resolution could be a “bizonal bicommunal federation” that he stated would create a “brighter, extra secure and safe future for Cyprus, and importantly for the area as a complete”.

‘INTIMIDATED’

The language utilized by a few of the audio system and the dearth of any debate on various resolution fashions for Cyprus angered Turkish Cypriots who had been there.

Çetin Ramadan, co-chair of the UK-based Freedom and Equity for Northern Cyprus, stated: “The Nationwide Federation of Cypriots (NFC) within the UK and the APPG for Cyprus proved as soon as once more that they’re vehemently towards opposing views, particularly by British Turkish Cypriots.

“The NFC purposely deserted the thought of a query and reply session fearing that the panel, or certainly the Greek Cypriot overseas minister, may battle to actually reply our urgent questions.

“As an alternative we had been allowed to method the parliamentarians instantly, solely to be intimidated by just a few Greek Cypriot people who felt it was their responsibility to guard the parliamentarians from civilised debate and open dialogue.  

“It was finally the Home of Commons safety that needed to escort one specific Greek Cypriot from the premises as he posed an actual menace to us.

“The distinct lack of Turkish Cypriot participation on the panel and the deceptive commentary by all panellists beggared perception.  

“The uncompromising assault on Turkey was unforgiveable and with none foundation. By way of the night, the 2 phrases ‘Turkish Cypriot’ weren’t talked about as soon as. That is testimony to the inclusion we at all times obtained from this group and certainly the APPG.”

Kenan Yaman, chair of the British Turkish Cypriot Affiliation (BTCA), stated: “The occasion was purported to be about Cyprus as a regional actor. 

“Nonetheless, it was extra in regards to the Greek Cypriots confirming to their mates that their one and solely intention is to proceed negotiations to discover a federal resolution primarily based on UN resolutions. 

“Each speaker confirmed their help towards this intention. On the finish, there was no query and reply session. 

“We then approached MPs to ask them questions however this was not acceptable to some ‘NFC’ members they usually tried to forestall us. 

“One stated that we had been attempting to affect their supporters and that we had been there to begin hassle. Quite the opposite, it was they who wished to begin hassle. 

“They requested why we had been there. We instructed them we had a proper to be there as Turkish Cypriots.

“In any other case, we identified that they need to have made the occasion solely for Greek Cypriots.

“There have been no voices on the panel who supported the Turkish Cypriot view of the Cyprus situation.

“It was all one-sided. The entire occasion repeated well-known Greek Cypriot propaganda, i.e. that the Cyprus dispute is considered one of ‘invasion’ and ‘occupation’ by Türkiye and it began on 20 July, 1974.”

‘HOSTILE, AGGRESSIVE AND THREATENING’

Council of Turkish Cypriots Affiliation and BTCA vice chair Halil İzzet stated: “The Nationwide Federation of Cypriots claims to characterize Greek and Turkish Cypriots alike, nevertheless, on the day of the occasion not one Turkish Cypriot was current as a member of the panel nor invited to contribute to the dialogue.

“The occasion was titled ‘Cyprus as a Regional Actor: Prospects, Challenges, and Developments’, which prompt that this could be a proactive, optimistic dialogue trying on the prospects of Cyprus and its future. 

“Nonetheless, the dialogue on the day provided little greater than a rhetoric of historic accounts claimed on behalf of the Greek Cypriot administration and centred across the ‘Turkish invasion’ in 1974 and the way the elimination of Türkiye’s affect in Cyprus might be achieved. 

“There was no acknowledgement of the Turkish Cypriot place, pursuits or, essentially, the mass killings of Turkish Cypriots on account of [Greek Cypriot terrorist group] Eoka’s actions and the political motion of Enosis, which led to the intervention of 1974. 

“These omissions led one to query any notion of impartiality or an try to supply a balanced dialogue.

“The panel concluded with out providing the viewers a proper alternative for questions as one would ordinarily anticipate. 

“Nonetheless, there was a possibility to talk with panel members, one to at least one, in the course of the casual networking and mingling that occurred on the finish of the night. 

“Regrettably, some members of the viewers didn’t welcome the presence of Turkish Cypriots, nor the questions they had been entitled to boost at this occasion in Parliament, which is the reputable house for democratic dialogue and debate.

“Certainly the behaviour of some who opposed the presence of Turkish Cypriots was hostile, aggressive and, once in a while, threatening. 

“Inevitably this resulted within the intervention of the members of safety and the police, an appalling conclusion to a most disappointing night.”

Azize Solmaz, chair of the Turkish Cypriot human rights group Embargoed!, stated the occasion contained “fixed regurgitation of misinformation and the dearth of essential details that present context for Türkiye’s intervention”. 

References to historic occasions “solely omitted essential facets of historical past, perpetuating biased views and spreading of misinformation and pretend information”.

“Turkish Cypriots who attended the occasion confronted hostility and aggression whereas attempting to interact in networking and conversations like everybody else,” she stated, including that this was an “open demonstration of racism”.

Turkish Cypriot attendees had been accused of “sabotage merely for asking questions on inclusivity”, she famous.

“The assembly was purported to be about Cyprus as a regional actor; nevertheless the panel made no try to speak round how Cyprus may proactively pave a method for peace between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots and as an alternative made the main focus about their intolerance.”

Requested by Cyprus As we speak to touch upon the stories of an incident on the finish of the occasion, a UK Parliament spokesperson stated: “On the conclusion of the annual assembly of the APPG for Cyprus and the Nationwide Federation of Cypriots, a Member of Parliament was approached, questioned and filmed by two people who had not been invited to the occasion. Permission for filming had not been sought upfront.

“After turning into abusive, the 2 people had been requested to depart, and had been escorted from the premises by a member of Parliament’s Safety Division.”