The United Kingdom “looks forward to participating” in a planned enlarged meeting on the Cyprus problem, the country’s new High Commissioner in Nicosia Michael Tatham said while presenting his credentials to President Nikos Christodoulides.
He said the British government is “firmly committed to the United Nations-led process to seek a lasting and just solution to the Cyprus problem which will end the island’s tragic division”.
To this end, he said the country “welcomes” the informal dinner held last month in New York involving UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Christodoulides, and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, and said it looks forward to being present at the enlarged meeting.
The question of whether the UK will be present at the enlarged meeting remains open, with Tatham’s confirmation of interest complementing Christodoulides’ reported preference for a British presence alongside Cyprus’ other guarantor powers, Greece and Turkey, as well as both Cypriot communities and the UN.
However, Tatar has gone on the record before the informal dinner in October as having said that based on the lack of common ground found between Cyprus’ two sides, “an environment could be created for a 4+1 informal consultation” – thus excluding the UK from such a meeting.
Christodoulides’ support for British involvement in the talks extended to a visit to London last month.
There, he held a meeting with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at his official residence and said that he and Starmer are “on the same page” regarding the Cyprus problem.
He reflected on that meeting when receiving Tatham’s credentials, describing it as “positive and constructive”.
Outside of the Cyprus problem, he said the ties between Cyprus and the UK are “deeply rooted in history”, and added that the two countries have “forged a bilateral partnership of mutual benefit and respect”.
He also highlighted the importance of the two countries’ partnership “in the midst of unprecedented regional and global challenges”.
On this point, Tatham said both countries “have many common interests and face many common challenges”, and added that the UK “highly appreciates the creative and constructive role that Cyprus and [Christodoulides] personally have played in regional diplomacy”.
Tatham was one of three new heads of diplomatic missions to present his credentials to Christodoulides, with new Saudi Arabian ambassador Fawaz Abdulrahman Hamad Alshubail and new Egyptian ambassador Mohammed Swawky Zaazou both also commencing their duties.
Christodoulides told Alshubail that strengthening relations with Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf region is a “strategic priority” for Cyprus and a “key pillar of our foreign policy”.
“Through our cooperation, we can contribute to regional stability, promote economic development, and advance our shared vision for a prosperous future,” he said.
He then told Zaazou that Cyprus and Egypt “share the same strategic commitment to stability and peace”, but also face “unprecedented regional and global challenges which require close cooperation and coordination”.
He added that in Europe, Cyprus “consistently defends Egypt’s role as one of the European Union’s most crucial partners, particularly on key issues such as migration and counterterrorism”.
To this end, he said Cyprus “will remain Egypt’s most steadfast and ardent supporter in Brussels”.
