Cypriot MP Sophocles Fittis has denounced Turkey`s double standards approach toward refugees. He was addressing the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
The Committee held a discussion on “Migrants and refugees human rights” in the framework of the 14th Winter meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly, taking place in Vienna, Austria.
In his speech Fittis acknowledged Turkey`s efforts in hosting Syrian refugees, but denounced the double standards policy the country has been carrying out against Cypriot refugees.
Turkey refuses to implement the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for Cypriots that became refugees as a result of the 1974 Turkish invasion and the continuing occupation of Cyprus` northern third, Fittis noted.
The Cypriot MP rejected the allegations by Turkish MPs who tried to give legitimacy to Turkey`s illegal military presence in Cyprus.
Fittis denounced Turkey`s provocative defiance of the ECHR recent decision and the Interim Resolution of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, as well as Turkey`s refusal to apply the Readmission Agreement signed with the EU vis-à-vis Cyprus, despite the Union`s repeated appeals at the highest level.
Turkey, which is an EU candidate country, violates international law and human rights in Cyprus since the invasion in 1974. Numerous resolutions and decisions by international and European organisations calling on Ankara to withdraw its troops from Cyprus are not respected by Turkey.
