Nov62024

The National Federation of Cypriots in the UK and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cyprus hosted their annual parliamentary meeting and reception on Tuesday 5th November. The Foreign Minister of the Republic of Cyprus Constantinos Kombos was the Guest Speaker at the event that was attended by Ministers, Shadow Ministers, Parliamentarians from both Houses of Parliament, and representatives of the Cypriot diaspora.

In his address, Foreign Minister Costantinos Kombos provided an overview of the Republic of Cyprus’ increasing strategic role in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Minister highlighted Cyprus’ crucial role in evacuating citizens from Sudan, Israel and Lebanon as “another expression of our role in the region as a safe harbour especially in times of crisis.” He also mentioned strengthening relations with allies including the USA and the UK, as demonstrated by the recent bilateral meetings between President Nikos Christodoulides and President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The Minister also outlined the recent developments on the Cyprus issue. He said that the Cypriot Government holds “an obligation to maximise the possibility of going back to the negotiating table” and has taken “every initiative towards momentum,” such as the recent informal meeting between President Christodoulides, Turkish Cypriot Leader Ersin Tatar and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. In any negotiations, he stressed willingness to “discuss in depth anything that has to do with the Cyprus issue, as long as this discussion is taking place on the basis of the UN Security Council resolutions – there is nothing beyond that.” He went on to say that “If we start creating exceptions where the illegal products of an act of aggression, become legal, it’s a dangerous precedent for the international community and has ramifications beyond Cyprus”.


Representing the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Minister for the Middle East Hamish Falconer MP began his remarks by praising the UK and Cyprus’ joint “commitment to peace and stability in Europe and beyond.” In the Middle East, Minister Falconer said that the UK is grateful for Cyprus’ “leadership in establishing the Amalthea Initiative to ship aid to Gaza via a maritime corridor” and “critical support through Plan Estia, including providing a temporary place of safety for more than 200 British nationals who were repatriated from Israel last October.” In Europe, he added that both the UK and Cyprus “stand firmly together against Russia’s aggression” and are “also collaborating closely on sanctions.”

On the Cyprus issue, Minister Falconer said that “the UK remains committed to supporting the UN to find a way forward for Cyprus, whose people have been forcibly divided for too long.” He reiterated that “This Labour government is committed to supporting the UN to find a lasting settlement…We believe that the existing UN framework, of a Bi-zonal, Bi-Communal Federation with political equality, remains the best available.”

Former Deputy Foreign Secretary, and Shadow Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell MP also addressed the reception. He spoke about his time in the British army carrying out peacekeeping duties in Cyprus and praised the ongoing work of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, as well as the Cypriot Government’s work in providing humanitarian aid to Gaza. He praised the contribution of the UK-Cypriot diaspora and reiterated the cross-party support for the reunification of Cyprus, based on the agreed UN framework. The newly appointed Shadow Foreign Secretary, Dame Priti Patel MP, was also in attendance at the reception.

Honorary President of the APPG for Cyprus Sir Roger Gale MP, said that it remains “unacceptable that one Council of Europe member, Turkey, has been allowed to occupy another, Cyprus, for so long”. He said that the Cyprus issue is “not a partisan issue” and that the UK is committed to a solution on the internationally agreed basis for “as long as it takes.”

The Chair for the APPG for Cyprus, Bambos Charalambous MP, chaired the evening’s reception. In his remarks, he emphasised the “cross-party support for a solution to the Cyprus issue based on the agreed UN framework” and re-assured attendees of the continued support and work of the Cyprus APPG, on the Cyprus issue.


Opening the evening, Federation President Christos Karaolis, noted that it is a “great pleasure to be joined by our parliamentary friends every year” and he said that he was “delighted that so many newly elected Members of Parliament” were attending this year’s Cyprus reception.

Mr Karaolis highlighted that this year’s reception followed both the Republic of Cyprus’ 64th anniversary of its independence as well as the 50 tragic years of illegal invasion and occupation. He praised the strengthening UK-Cyprus relations and reflected that “for all that the Republic of Cyprus has achieved; we can only imagine what it may have accomplished as both an individual state and as an integral ally had it not been illegally occupied this last half-century.”

In closing, Mr Karaolis welcomed the recent informal meeting between President Nikos Christodoulides, Turkish Cypriot Leader Ersin Tatar and United Nation’s Secretary General Antonio Guterres. He added that “As British voters, our message to our government is clear – It is our expectation that the UK Government is not only present at Ministerial level in any upcoming guarantor meetings but, it must also be unequivocally clear that the only basis for a solution is the agreed UN framework.”

A further 23 Ministers, Shadow Ministers and Parliamentarians from both Houses of Parliament attended the reception. Also in attendance was Michael Tatham CMG, the newly appointed British High Commissioner to Cyprus. Representatives from both national media, including the Times, Guardian, Sun and GB News also attended the event, alongside community media.

Photo credit: Stavri Kleanthous