Mr. Speaker, I am pleased and honoured to rise today to extend the warmest of welcomes to His Excellency the High Commissioner for the Republic of Cyprus to Canada on the occasion of his visit to Ottawa.
I also wish to point out that, in December 2004, more than six months after Cyprus joined the European Union, Cyprus has once again extended the hand of friendship to Turkey by supporting, along with the other 24 member countries of the EU, a definite date for the start of negotiations to bring Turkey into the EU.
Canada-Cyprus relations have a history of over 30 years. Canada has always supported a comprehensive and permanent settlement to the Cyprus issue and Canada will continue to work with the UN, the G-8 and others to resolve the island's divided status.
Having worked with other colleagues on the Cyprus issue for as many years as I have been a member of the House, including the presentation in 1996 of the motion on the demilitarization of Cyprus, and always in pursuit of a just and peaceful solution, I, along with my constituents, family and friends of Greek Cypriot origin, remain optimistic that Cyprus will soon be reunified.