Maria Vamvakinou (Calwell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges peace, re-unification and reconciliation in Cyprus through the progress achieved during 2015-2017 United Nations-sponsored Cyprus peace talks, including the framework set out by the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres;

(2) congratulates all those involved in the Cyprus peace talks, especially the personal commitment by Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci;

(3) expresses full support for the United Nations Secretary-General's Good Offices in Cyprus, and supports the resumption of negotiations at the parties' earliest convenience;

(4) recognises that even though the 2015-17 Cyprus talks took place between two compatible and affable leaders and a rather diligent United Nations, Mont Pelerin, Geneva and Crans-Montana reminded us that the difficulty in constructing a new peace paradigm in Cyprus is not only exacerbated by inter-communal division, but is also vulnerable to external, regional and international tensions;

(5) reaffirms its support for an enduring, peaceful, comprehensive and just settlement based on the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, and encourages all parties to sustain their commitment to the reunification of Cyprus;

(6) realises that many Cypriots have fled to Australia over the last six decades and the Cypriot diaspora in Australia can make a positive contribution to peacebuilding efforts in their former homeland;

(7) welcomes the bicommunal contacts, engagement and exchanges, resulting from the continued crossings at the Green Line, as evidenced by the work of the Cyprus Academic Dialogue, the Bicommunal Kyrenia Initiative, the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus, the Home for Cooperation and others;

(8) congratulates the grasswork action by two Australian friends of Cypriot background, Yalcin Adal and Stavros Protz (Tzortzis), for their 16 day, 350 km Cyprus East2West walk from 21 March to 6 April 2018, as a symbolic gesture of reunification, peace, hope, reconciliation and friendship, and all those who supported such an endeavour, especially our High Commission in Nicosia; and

(9) calls on the Government to continue its support of the peacemaking efforts in Cyprus including considering re-appointing a special envoy on Cyprus to promote dialogue, peace and reconciliation.

It's a pleasure to be moving this very important motion today on peace, reunification and reconciliation in Cyprus, especially given that just a few days ago we marked the UN international day for refugees and thousands of Cypriot refugees remain dispossessed and still unable to return to their ancestral homes. The capital, Nicosia, remains divided by the green line, separating both Greek and Turkish Cypriots. The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, in his last report on his mission of good offices in Cyprus reminds us that, as far as the Cyprus peace efforts are concerned, we find ourselves in a 'period for reflection'. This came after two years of intense and strenuous negotiations by two affable, committed and sincere Cypriot leaders, Nicos Anastasiades and Mustafa Akinci, aided by the good offices of the UN to reach a comprehensive settlement. Despite much progress on a series of core issues, the negotiations stalled in Crans-Montana last June, ostensibly over security and guarantees, which also involves Turkey, Greece and the United Kingdom.

For all of us who over the years and decades have been associated with the plight of Cyprus and who advocate for a free, reunified, sovereign, democratic and independent Cyprus, we stand firm in our continued commitment to support and aid with whatever resources we have at our disposal those who are genuinely committed to reaching a peaceful, humane, fair, just and viable solution for the Cyprus problem. But formal negotiations in officialdom by themselves are not sufficient to bring about change and counter the politics of fear, hate and uncertainty. They often require backing and encouragement from civil society and even from the most unlikely of quarters.

One such symbolic gesture of hope, reconciliation and reunification came from two Australian friends, one of Turkish Cypriot background—Yalcin Adal, who is here in the gallery with his father, Halil Adal, and his younger brother Yener Adal—and the other of Greek Cypriot background: Stavros Protz, who unfortunately could not join us here today in Canberra because, sadly, his mother, Maria Georges, passed away in Melbourne just a few days ago. Our sincere condolences to Stavros and his family. I'm sure he is here with us in spirit today.

I'd like to acknowledge the presence in the gallery today of the High Commissioner of Cyprus, Ms Martha Mavrommati, and the Cyprus consul, Mr Vakis Zissimos. I want to welcome them both to the Australian parliament.

Inspired by British travel author Colin Thubron and his book Journey into Cyprus of the early 1970s, Yalcin and Stavros sought to emulate Thubron's pre-1974 walk by sending a message that irrespective of the history of division, for these two mates who have become brothers Cyprus has no boundaries, no barriers, no minefields, no checkpoints, no green lines, no ghost towns and no lost homelands. They walked across the width of Cyprus from east to west for 16 days over 350 kilometres between 21 March and 13 April this year. Theirs was a mission of peace and the experience life-changing. There were many highlights and memorable moments along the way as the local Cypriots followed and embraced with enthusiasm the journey of the two Australians. Midway through the journey, they stopped for a tree-planting ceremony at the Home for Cooperation in the buffer zone on 31 March. Yalcin and Stavros planted an indigenous myrtle tree known for its spiritual healing properties in the hope it will help to heal the beloved island of Cyprus.

On their behalf I would like to thank all those who assisted and were involved in the tree-planting process in both its selection and day of planting. Of special significance was the involvement of my parliamentary colleagues who Yalcin and Stavros met here in Canberra prior to their departure: Senator Pat Dodson, the federal member for Barton, the member for Hindmarsh, the member for Grayndler and, of course, our Australian High Commissioner for Cyprus, Mr Alan Sweetman, for all of his on-the-ground support, including digging the hole for the tree to be planted in.

Australia has been proactive in the involvement in Cyprus. Australian Federal Police have had the longest continuous presence in Cyprus, from 1964 until their departure in 2017 after 53 years. Australia supports the establishment of the bi-communal NGO Cyprus Academic Dialogue and the citizens' diplomacy program, instituted in 2010 during the Rudd-Gillard Labor government and a project that our Australian High Commission in Cyprus continues to support today under the present government. This is what we Australians do and we do best. Our distinctive, down-to-earth political acumen is to try to find practical solutions to what appear to be insurmountable problems. Inspired by Yalcin and Stavros' Journey into Cyprus: East2West, this motion proposes a simple, practical measure to the Australian government: to action its continued bipartisan support for the peacemaking efforts in Cyprus by reappointing a special envoy on Cyprus to actively promote dialogue, peace and reconciliation. (Time expired)

Ian Goodenough (Moore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the motion seconded?

Pat Conroy (Shortland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the motion and reserve my right to speak.

Steve Georganas (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a great pleasure that I rise in support of this motion put forward by the member for Calwell. Back in February, I too, together with the member for Calwell and the member for Grayndler, met with Yalcin Adal and Stavros Tzortzis with the Australian Parliamentary Friends of Cyprus. The chair of the friends group, the member for Grayndler, Anthony Albanese, joined with other members—including, as I said, the member for Calwell—to meet with these two young men. Yalcin and Stavros were determined to walk from east to west across Cyprus as a symbolic gesture to demonstrate that Cyprus was one country. The walk took 16 days, with over 350 kilometre walked. We know divisions within Cyprus traditionally run across the island. Yalcin and Stavros wanted to challenge those divisions in the name of peace, in the name of co-existence and the name of unification on the island.

They crossed the United Nations buffer zone, the green line, several times during their walk. Those that us who have been to the green line can see the division of the island. We're not talking about a war-torn Middle Eastern country where tragic events are taking place; this is in the EU. This is in the centre of Europe, and it is very sad to see the buffer zone and the green line. As we know, in 1974, the island was occupied and nearly 40 per cent of the island still remains occupied. Since then, a so-called state has been declared, but it has only been recognised by one nation—the nation that invaded—in the entire world. Only they recognise that part of the island. It just happens that—ironically, as I said—only the northern part is recognised, and that is by the nation that invaded. There are still 1,600 people missing. These people still haven't been found. In that 40 per cent of the island, we have homes which owners have not been allowed to return to, and they are still not allowed to return. This walk was a symbol of peace, a symbol that people can work together and a symbol that there can be a just solution.

Many UN resolutions have been called for. They basically have the same principle: respect for human rights and all of the people of the island. Here in Australia we can play a role, as we are doing today. Many members in this House have raised this issue and many of my colleagues in the South Australian parliament have also raised this issue. When you travel to Cyprus, as I have on a number of occasions, both as an individual and as part of delegations representing this parliament, it's an absolute tragedy to see such a wonderful island with such a rich history—the island of Aphrodite, as it was called in the Classical Greek times—divided in two. That is a real pity. I have gone along the green line, I have seen the demilitarised zone that divides the island and I have spoken with Australian UN peacekeeping forces there, from our Australian Federal Police, who have made such a wonderful contribution. They have been there for many, many years. It's a pity that, in 2017, the government saw fit to withdraw them.

We can play a bigger and better role. Of course, not only can we raise this issue here in parliament but, most importantly, Australia can play a role in providing for the implementation of UN resolutions. I know that talks have been taking place recently between the two communities and different nations that have an involvement. We all hope for a just solution very soon. I support the motion put forward by the member for Calwell. It basically talks about congratulating all those involved in the Cyprus peace talks, especially the personal commitment of the Greek Cypriot leader, Nicos Anastasiades, and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mustafa Akinci. Today we have with us in the gallery the High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus, Martha Mavrommati, as well. I'd like to acknowledge her presence here and the work that she does here in Australia raising these issues and doing all that she can to ensure that we keep this issue on the burner.

The motion also recognises that, even though the 2015-17 Cyprus talks took place between the two compatible and affable leaders that I just spoke about—the rather diligent United Nations discussions that took place—we hope that these discussions continue and that people go back to the table so that we can see that just solution which has been so desperately needed since 1974, since the island was divided. We all hope and pray that one day the communities will live in peace and harmony together.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the coming month, we will mark 44 years since the invasion of Cyprus by Turkey, 44 years without a resolution—a nation divided, with 37 per cent of the island still occupied in contravention of a number of United Nations resolutions and with over 200,000 people displaced. This is the 11th time I have raised this issue in the parliament as a federal MP. I've had the privilege of visiting the island nation twice, once as an opposition member and once as a government minister. The hope of justice and reunification of the island, however, very much lives on, both in Cyprus and also here in Australia, another island nation, which more than 80,000 Cypriots of both Greek and Turkish background call home.

I had the honour of convening a meeting on behalf of the Australia-Cyprus parliamentary friendship group with two Australian friends, Stavros Protz and Yalcin Adal, from Greek- and Turkish-Cypriot backgrounds respectively. These two great friends in Australia are examples of the fact that, in our multicultural nation, people live not just in harmony but with its diversity being a great strength. Stavros and Yalcin began the Journey into Cyprus: East2West initiative. Together, over 16 days beginning on 21 March and ending on 5 April, the two friends walked 400 kilometres through the middle of Cyprus to inspire reconciliation and support for a united island nation. Stavros and Yalcin, having successfully completed their journey, walking up to 30 kilometres a day over very rugged terrain, are here in Canberra today continuing to promote the common interest and harmony between all Cypriots. After reaching the St Hilarion Castle on top of the Kyrenia mountain range in Cyprus, the two friends found a window and announced their wish for the future of the island:

We wish that one day the people of this island regardless of age, colour, ethnicity, gender and religion will be able to live freely.

This echoes the message of a peaceful resolution that I put forward in my first speech to this parliament about Cyprus, way back in 1998. I said this 20 years ago:

What is clear is that the Cypriot people, regardless of their origin, do want a peaceful resolution to this crisis.

The sentiment has been demonstrated in an extraordinary way by these two friends through their East2West initiative. Their journey has quite literally brought the two sides of the conflict together to advocate for a peaceful resolution that has eluded the island nation for far too long.

However, a solution, when it comes, must of course support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus, a single legitimate authority on the island: one nation, one citizenship, one international personality, one people. While the nation continues to be divided, its people—both those of Greek-Cypriot background and those of Turkish-Cypriot background—will suffer.

Each year I attend a commemoration of the invasion of Cyprus at the Cyprus Community Club in my own electorate of Grayndler. Each year the crowd gathers and hopes for a peaceful resolution to the conflict that should come sooner rather than later. The journey of Stavros and Yalcin, taken together, has encouraged this peace to be brought forth. They exemplify two courageous people who are saying: 'Enough is enough.' It is in the interests of all of the people of Cyprus for the conflict to be resolved, for us to live in harmony side by side, just as people of Greek-Cypriot background and Turkish-Cypriot background live side by side in harmony right here in Australia, particularly in my electorate in the inner west of Sydney. I commend the motion to the House and I pay tribute to these two fine young Australians.

Debate adjourned.