Diaspora politicians speak out in support of a Cyprus resolution

By Theo Theophanous and Takis Christodoulou

We write as two former politicians of the Cyprus diaspora, one from Australia, one from South Africa, because we passionately believe in a united and free Cyprus.

We have come together with a plea. We do so after consultation over many years with politicians in Australia, South Africa, the United States and other countries with a diaspora.

We were founding members of the World Hellenic Interparliamentary Association (WHIA) that includes more than 150 politicians of Greek background in the Diaspora. We believe the views expressed here reflect the views of these politicians who want to see a united, democratic Cyprus.

To begin with we strongly believe that an opportunity for a resolution to the Cyprus issue has opened up with the election of Turfan Erhurman in the north with 63 per cent of the vote. We also think that this is perhaps the last chance.

We say last because if this opportunity is frittered away on the altar of prejudice, political expediency, party manoeuvres or sectional interests in north or south of the dividing line, then we think the international community will lose patience and the forces of division will prevail.

The stakes are very high.

Failure means a permanently divided Cyprus, continuous Greco-Turkish conflict, non-exploitation