Strasbourg, France.UBP Gazimağusa Deputy Hamza Ersan Saner and CTP Güzelyurt Deputy Armağan Candan attended the General Council meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) held in Strasbourg, France
According to the information of the TRNC Assembly, Saner and Candan attended the sessions of migration, refugees and displaced persons committee where the rights and humanist needs of displaced people were discussed. Within the framework of the so-called report, the missing persons issue in Cyprus was discussed. During the meeting, a video call was held with the Turkish Cypriot member of the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus, Gülden Plümer Küçük, Greek Cypriot member Leonidas Pantelidis and the third member Paul Henry Arni. The members of the Committee on Missing Persons gave information about the work done since 2006 and the cooperation between the sides.
During her speech, Gülden Küçük stressed that the issue of migration and missing persons in Cyprus started in 1963 but criticised these issues not being reflected in the report.
In his statement regarding the issue, Candan said that the issue of missing persons is a humanity issue which started in 1963, adding that the migration issue did not start in 1974, 25,000 Turkish Cypriots were forced to immigrate in the years of 1963/1964 and were forced to live in ghettos. Candan stressed that in 2019, the Committee on Missing Persons gained access to 30 new military zones and the researches have been conducted without any obstruction. Furthermore, Saner said that it is a big shame of the Greek Cypriots that Turkish Cypriot Deputy Cengiz Ratip who disappeared on 14 February 1964 still has not been found.
Saner and Candan are also attending Political Affairs and Democracy Committee, Culture, Science Education and Media Committee, Human Rights and Democracy Committee, Immigration, Refugees, and Displaced Persons Committee, Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Developments Committee, Equality and Anti-discrimination Committee meetings besides as well as the General Council meetings.
UBP Parliamentarian Hamza Ersan Saner participated in the European Conservatives Group meeting and CTP Parliamentarian Armağan Candan participated in Democrats and Greens Political Group meeting. The TRNC Assembly delegation has also held various bilateral meetings in addition to the other meetings they which they attended.
