The Cyprus government has taken every possible step to keep up the momentum to restart negotiations on the Cyprus problem, Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said at an event in Westminster.
The foreign minister was speaking on Tuesday night before MPs, UK Under Secretary of State Hamish Falconer, Conservative shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel, UK High Commissioner to Cyprus Michael Tatham, and High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus to London Kyriacos Kouros, at an event organised by the all-party parliamentary committee (APPG) for Cyprus, in collaboration with the UK national Cypriot federation.
The government “has taken every step available to create momentum,” Kombos said, adding, “there is an opportunity to take small steps […]we didn’t have [before]” and that “the ball is in Turkey’s court.”
The Greek Cypriot side was ready to immediately resume negotiations in depth, Kombos said, as long as the discussion was based on UN Security Council resolutions.
He added that the matter of Cyprus is an international one, as a precedent of legalising illegal interests arising from an act of aggression should not be set.
Despite the shadow cast by its existential situation, “Cyprus is much more than just the Cyprus problem,” the foreign minister also said.
Cyprus is important as an ally to the west and in its immediate geographic region, Kombos said, as exemplified by the humanitarian sea-corridor to Gaza, made possible through the excellent relations the state maintains with its neighbours.
The evacuation of citizens from Sudan, Israel and Lebanon, was also made possible by Cyprus’ role as a safe haven, he said.
The minister spoke of an upgraded United States-Cyprus relationship “to a level not seen before”, signalled by strategic dialogue between the countries and the visit of the President Nikos Christodoulides to the White House, by invitation of outgoing US President Joe Biden.
Cyprus also has a close relationship with the United Kingdom, Kombos said, and intends to maximize the historical cooperation between the two countries. To this end a strategic dialogue will take place in December in London.
Meanwhile, strategic dialogue with France is also being prepared.
The situation in the region creates opportunities for closer cooperation as well as obligations, with Cyprus serving as a bridge between the Middle East and Europe, Kombos said.
Undersecretary of state for the Middle East Hamish Falconer praised the close bilateral ties between the UK and Cyprus, and assured Cypriots that they could count on the current British government to support their interests.
Falconer said: “I want to assure you that this Labour Government is committed to supporting the United Nations to find a lasting solution, an outcome that will safeguard the future of Cyprus and the region beyond any peace operation”
Falconer said the existing UN framework remained the best available.
The UK and Cyprus have a joint determination to prevent further escalation in the Middle East, he said and praised the Amalthea initiative and the Cyprus’ role in citizen evacuations.
President of the Cypriot federation, Christos Karaolis, said in his speech that Cyprus was “a strong, reliable and stable ally” for the UK with cooperation in a wide range of sectors.
At a time when territorial integrity and sovereignty are under threat around the world, as in Ukraine, it was important that the UK and the international community to hold Turkey accountable for its invasion and occupation of Cyprus, Karaolis said.
“It is our expectation that the British Government not only will be present at ministerial level in any upcoming meetings of the guarantor powers, but also that it must be absolutely clear that the only basis for a solution is the agreed upon UN framework,” he said, speaking on behalf of Cypriot in the UK.
Kombos’ speech was also received by outgoing shadow Conservative Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell (who was replaced by Priti Patel). He also pointed out the role of Cyprus in the aid to Gaza project and evacuations and said there was interest in Cyprus, from all British parties.
The invasion and occupation of Cyprus is as wrong as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, APPG Honorary President for Cyprus Sir Roger Gale said.
“We want to see the reunification of the island as a democracy with full freedom of movement, employment and residence… We will be with you as long as it takes,” he added.
The evening was moderated by the new president of the APPG for Cyprus, Pambos Charalambous, the first British MP of Cypriot origin, who conveyed a message of support for the rights of Cyprus from all MPs of the parliamentary committee.
Present at the event were MPs Fabian Hamilton, Dan Tomlinson, Navedu Misra, Matt Bishop, Steve Reiss, Martin Vickers, Naz Shah, Sarah Champion, Sarah Shakman, Tom Morrison, Andrew Rosindell, Christine Jardine, Mike Wood , Paulette Hamilton, Martin McCluskey, Gregory Stafford, David Pinto-Dusinski and Gagan Mohindra, as well as Lord Truscott, Baroness Rosie Winterton, Baroness Ayesha Hazarinka and Baroness Sally Morgan, members of the House of Lords.
Earlier in the afternoon, Kombos as keynote speaker had addressed a closed round table discussion at the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) on prospects and challenges of Cyprus’ geostrategic role.
