Parliamentarians visit Cyprus

Parliamentarians from the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cyprus visited Cyprus this week as part of a cross-party delegation. The House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus hosted the delegation for meetings with Government officials and Parliamentarians. These meetings included discussions on the latest developments on the Cyprus issue, UK-Cyprus bilateral relations, as well as regional developments in the Eastern Mediterranean. The delegation was led by APPG for Cyprus Chair Bambos Charalambous MP, and included Honorary President Sir Roger Gale MP, Vice-Chair Dan Tomlinson MP, Shadow FCDO Minister Wendy Morton MP, Bob Blackman MP (Chairman of the 1922 Committee) and Martin Vickers MP. The Secretariat for the APPG for Cyprus, Christos Karaolis, also accompanied the delegation.

Following the visit, Bambos Charalambous said “It was a privilege of mine and my colleagues from the Cyprus APPG to meet with the President and Parliamentary Leadership during our visit. These meetings provided an insight into the important efforts to restart reunification negotiations with the recent re-appointment of a UN Envoy and the upcoming 5+1 meeting in July. They also allowed us to gain an insight into the critical role of Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean region and the strengthening U.K.-Cyprus bilateral cooperation across a range of areas.”

Mr Charalambous added that “In all our meetings, at this critical moment, we emphasised our collective cross-party commitment to ensuring that the British Government is doing its utmost to reunite Cyprus as a bizonal, bicommunal federation, with political equality as outlined in UN Security Council Resolutions. This commitment is only furthered when we see the tragic reality of Turkey’s continued occupation for ourselves, be it visiting the old Nicosia airport or viewing the ghost town of Varosi. On behalf of the whole delegation, I would like to express our gratitude to the President and International Relations Department of the House of Representatives for hosting us, as well as our Secretariat, Christos Karaolis, for coordinating the trip.”

Strengthening UK-Cyprus relations

House President Annita Demetriou MP hosted a meeting with the parliamentary delegation at the House of Representatives. The House President briefed the delegation on the recent momentum in the Cyprus issue following the Geneva Meeting in March. This included the recent appointments of the UN Secretary-General and European Commission President’s personal envoys on the Cyprus issue. The meeting also discussed shared parliamentary work and potential collaboration between the UK Parliament and the Cypriot House of Representatives.

The delegation also met with the House Standing Committee on Foreign and European Affairs and its Chair, Harris Georgiades MP, as well as the Head of Cyprus’ Commonwealth Parliamentary Association delegation Aristos Damianou MP. This was followed by a dinner hosted by the British High Commissioner to Cyprus, Michael Tatham, at the British High Commissioner’s Residence. These meetings saw a friendly exchange of views on the latest developments in UK-Cyprus relations, parliamentary collaboration, as well as developments in the wider region.

Meetings with President and Foreign Minister

The MPs also met with H.E. the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Nikos Christodoulides. The President briefed MPs on the significant progress on domestic issues, including the economy, migration and his recently launched Minds In Cyprus initiative, as well as the strengthening UK-Cyprus collaboration across a range of issues. In particular he highlighted that he had now met Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer MP on three occasions since the PM’s election, including the PM’s historic bilateral visit to Cyprus last December. He also updated the delegation on the recent and upcoming informal meetings within the UN-led process for a solution to the Cyprus issue. This included a briefing on the agreements to appoint a UN Secretary General Personal Envoy on Cyprus and also six confidence building measures. The President emphasised that the only solution to the Cyprus problem is one that is based on the internationally accepted model, as set out in UN Security Council Resolutions.

Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos also met the delegation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Foreign Minister also briefed MPs on the recent developments in the Cyprus issue and emphasised the island’s growing geostrategic role as a bridge between Europe and the Middle and Near East. He also updated MPs on the critical role that Cyprus continues to play as a predictable ally in regional conflicts, including strengthened collaboration with the UK. This included an update on the Cypriot Government’s efforts to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza through the Cyprus Maritime Corridor.

Witnessing the consequences of the occupation firsthand

The parliamentary delegation travelled across Cyprus to see the lasting consequences of the continued illegal occupation of the island. In Nicosia, UNFICYP peacekeepers took the parliamentary delegation on a guided tour of the United Nations Protected Area and Old Nicosia Airport in Cyprus’ Buffer Zone.

In Famagusta District, Mayor Simos Ioannou and councillors hosted the delegation at the Municipality’s Cultural Centre in Deryneia. The parliamentarians were also taken to a Deryneia viewpoint to observe the illegally occupied city of Famagusta and its ghost town of Varosi. In Nicosia, the parliamentary delegation also met with the Mayor of Morphou, Victor Hadjiavraam and Municipal Councillors

Meeting with Stelios Foundation award winners

The MPs also joined a working lunch with this year’s winners of the Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou Cyprus Bi-Communal Awards. The delegation were able to exchange views with the award winners on initiatives to strengthen collaboration between the communities, as a way to facilitate reunification of the island. The Stelios Philanthropic Foundation organises these awards to recognise the contribution of Greek and Turkish Cypriots to building entrepreneurship and trust in Cyprus. The awards, established in 2009, also work to support Cyprus’ reunification efforts and strengthen ties between the UK and Cyprus.