That the Parliament acknowledges that July 2024 marked the 50th anniversary of the invasion of Cyprus by the Republic of Turkey; understands that this violent conflict inflicted thousands of casualties, alleged atrocities and led to Turkey’s occupation of 36.2% of the territory of Cyprus, the exiling of 180,000 Greek Cypriots, more than 99% of the local Greek population, from areas that had been Greek for millennia, with 60,000 Turkish Cypriots fleeing from other parts of the island; further understands that the invasion led to the establishment of a self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus under the auspices of the Turkish military, including part of the capital, Nicosia; is aware that Cyprus gained independence from the UK in 1960 under a constitution that established a power-sharing arrangement between the two communities, with the 1960 United Nations Treaty of Guarantee pledging the United Kingdom, Greece and Turkey to respect Cyprus’ independence and territorial integrity; considers that while the reported justification given for the initial Turkish invasion was protecting Turkish Cypriots from inter-communal violence, this quickly expanded into a broader military occupation, which has divided the island until the present day; believes that, since 1974, Turkish authorities have encouraged settlers from the Turkish mainland to migrate to Turkish-controlled Cyprus to change the demographic character of the island, a course of action that it considers is contrary to Article 49 of the 4th Geneva Convention of 1949, which stipulates that occupying powers “shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies”; further believes that the conflict has left long-lasting damage, with once-thriving Greek settlements such as Varosha left as ghost towns, churches and monasteries being damaged, desecrated or converted, and significant damage to the cultural heritage of Greek Cyprus, and urges the United Nations and EU to press for a diplomatic solution that will end what it sees as the military occupation of northern Cyprus and the island’s division, while recognising the rights of displaced Greek and Turkish Cypriots to return to their homes and properties.