8 April 2025 - Visit of the President of the Republic of Cyprus to the USA and meeting with AIPAC." 4o

The recent meeting of the President of the Republic of Cyprus with AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) – a lobby that finances political campaigns supporting pro-Israel policies in Congress and the executive arm of the USA, while at the same time openly opposing the International Criminal Court (ICC) – undermines our long tradition as a country that respects international law.

Apr 8, 2025

Volt expresses concern about the choice of President Mr. Christodoulides to hold his only political meeting in the US with AIPAC, which represents neither the US, nor Israel, and which actively pushes for sanctions against the ICC, including the prosecution of its Prosecutor for the investigations of, and arrest warrants against, Netanyahu and Gallant (Prime Minister and former Minister of Defense of Israel, respectively) for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the territory of Palestine, which is a member of the ICC.

Just as the Republic of Cyprus and its citizens seek justice from the international community, our government must avoid showing tacit support for the actions of anyone who violates international law and undermines the process of international justice.

Cyprus must maintain its international credibility. As a country that signed and ratified the Rome Statute (2002), that has historically supported the ICC with Cypriot judge Mr. Georgios Pikis having served as a member, and that recently signed the joint declaration of the 80 member states of the ICC condemning the US sanctions against it, we cannot identify with groups that seek to undermine international justice.

Volt calls on the government to:

  1. Publicly distance itself from any attempt to undermine the ICC.

  2. Honor its treaties (Rome Statute) and be ready to cooperate with the ICC, including the possible arrest of indictees.

  3. To not limit its diplomacy to a single lobby, especially when it opposes the values ​​and interests of the Republic of Cyprus and International Law.

Cyprus does not need to succumb to geopolitical factors of third countries to defend its interests. On the contrary, it must strengthen its position as a country that respects international law and continue to support the ICC, especially now that it is investigating war crimes and crimes against humanity, and at the same time is being undermined (e.g. by Russia, the USA, and Hungary). It must also maintain its multilateral diplomacy, without giving a privileged relationship to groups that undermine international justice.