Greek Cypriot rejects joint legislation on climate change, earthquakes

Greek Cypriot rejects joint legislation proposal on climate change and earthquakes, emphasizing Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ demand for sovereign equality and international status

Oguzhan Hasipoglu, a member of parliament from the National Unity Party and the general secretary of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), revealed that a proposal put forward by Swiss moderator Laurent Wehrli during the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Cyprus Facilitators Group Meeting, calling for joint legislation on topics like climate change and earthquakes between the TRNC and the Greek Cypriot administration parliaments, was rejected by the Greek Cypriot delegation.

Hasipoglu said that they receive invitations from the IPU as political parties from the TRNC once a year, noting his attendance as the head of the TRNC delegation at this meeting.

Sovereign equality demand is ‘reasonable and timely’

Hasipoglu noted that they conveyed the Turkish Cypriot side’s position of a two-state solution. “Our demand for sovereign equality and international equal status is very reasonable and timely. In 2021, together with our President Ersin Tatar, we presented these proposals to the UN secretary-general at the informal 5+1 Cyprus meeting in Geneva. The secretary-general understood us very well and said that it was time to discuss different things and that we needed to ‘think outside the box.’ We are working on this, and we have never been the party that walks away from the table,” he said.

Reminding that the Turkish Cypriot side has consistently said “yes” to all proposed solution plans, Hasipoglu emphasized that they should not be subjected to additional embargoes or further punishment.

Hasipoglu also said that their counterparts consider their demand for a “two-state solution” reasonable, noting that the Greek Cypriot side has rejected all previous solutions.

Stressing that the IPU is a platform where the Cyprus issue is discussed at the highest level after meetings with heads of state, he mentioned that they had a one-and-a-half-hour meeting with Greek Cypriot parliamentarians during the Cyprus Facilitators Group Meeting, which was mediated by Swiss parliamentarians, and everyone stated their positions.

He noted that the Greek Cypriot delegation, consisting of high-level and experienced MPs, reiterated familiar statements such as “time is passing very quickly,” “we need to reach a solution as soon as possible,” “we are all Cypriots,” “we want to be with you in the federal model,” and “the only obstacle to the solution is Türkiye.”

Greek Cypriot’s ‘refusal to acknowledge equal status’

Hasipoglu also highlighted the Greek Cypriots’ long-standing rejection of all solutions, noting that their acceptance could have led to a significantly different situation today.

The TRNC representatives expressed their stance, advocating for sovereign equality and international equal status. During the meeting, the Swiss mediator proposed a collaborative initiative: “As elected representatives of your people, why not visit each other’s parliaments and work on joint legislation regarding climate change, EU harmonization laws, earthquakes, and disasters?” This proposal, presented by the Swiss delegation acting as mediators for Cyprus, was met with surprise by the Greek Cypriot side, who ultimately rejected it.

“This incident at the IPU serves as a clear example,” Hasipoglu remarked, “of their refusal to acknowledge our equal status in any form.” He continued by emphasizing the well-known fact that the TRNC, as an equal founding partner of the Republic of Cyprus, has been overlooked for 60 years, with the rights of Turkish Cypriots continuously disregarded.

Hasipoglu expressed hope that the organizers of the meeting and Swiss parliamentarians will maintain objectivity in their reports, documenting the rejectionist stance displayed by the Greek Cypriots.

Source: Newsroom

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