London: British political parties reaffirmed their support for a Cyprus settlement based on United Nations Security Council resolutions during an event held on Tuesday at the UK Parliament. Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos was the keynote speaker.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the annual gathering, jointly organised by the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK and the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Cyprus to mark the anniversary of the 1974 Turkish invasion, brought together dozens of MPs from across the political spectrum. Speakers also highlighted the growing strategic partnership between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Cyprus. Among those attending were MPs Catherine West, Dan Tomlinson, Martin Vickers, Caroline Nokes, and Baroness Winterton.
Foreign Minister Kombos described Cyprus as a reliable UK partner and a bridge between Europe and the Middle East. He said bilateral relations were at their strongest in recent years, pointing to the close cooperation between London and Nicosia during the Middle East crisis. He highlighted Cyprus' role in delivering humanitarian assistance to Gaza and facilitating the evacuation of thousands of foreign nationals through the island.
Kombos also said Cyprus' Presidency of the Council of the European Union had contributed to strengthening UK-EU relations, referring in particular to the Gibraltar agreement and the participation of a British Minister in an informal meeting of the EU Council. On the Cyprus issue, he reiterated that the Republic of Cyprus was ready to resume substantive negotiations immediately within the framework of UN Security Council resolutions, stressing the growing importance of the European dimension of the issue. He added that further progress would largely depend on Turkey's approach towards the European Union, the international community, and international law.
UK Minister for Europe Stephen Doughty described UK-Cyprus relations as stronger than ever, praised the contribution of the Cypriot community to British society, and thanked the Republic of Cyprus for its role in humanitarian operations linked to Gaza and in assisting the evacuation of civilians from conflict zones.
He also congratulated Cyprus on its successful Presidency of the Council of the EU, saying it had helped strengthen ties between London and Brussels. On Cyprus, Doughty reaffirmed that the United Kingdom, as a Guarantor Power, remained firmly committed to achieving a just and lasting settlement based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality and would continue to actively support the UN-led process.
Representing the opposition, Conservative Shadow Europe Minister Wendy Morton referred to the longstanding ties between the two countries in defence, trade, education, and regional security, while praising the contribution of the British Cypriot community to the United Kingdom.
Morton said the consequences of the 1974 Turkish invasion continued to affect thousands of families and reiterated that the United Kingdom does not recognise the self-declared "trnc", as she referred to the illegal regime set up by Turkey in the northern part of Cyprus. She also expressed hope that confidence-building measures would create the conditions for meaningful progress in the negotiations.
Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney delivered a similar message, reaffirming her party's longstanding support for Cyprus and the British Cypriot community. She said that, 52 years after the Turkish invasion, the Liberal Democrats continued to support a settlement based on UN resolutions.
A particularly emotional address was delivered by Sir Roger Gale, Honorary President of the APPG for Cyprus, who described the continued occupation of Cypriot territory for 52 years as unacceptable. He argued that negotiations should resume from where they had previously stopped rather than start from scratch. Gale said he continued to believe there was goodwill on both sides and reiterated that the objective should remain "one island, one state, one President", adding that no solution falling short of that goal should be accepted.
National Federation of Cypriots in the UK President Christos Karaolis called on London to play a more active and meaningful role in efforts to restart negotiations, stressing Britain's historic responsibilities as a Guarantor Power, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, and a drafter of the relevant UN resolutions on Cyprus.
Karaolis expressed the Federation's support for the UN Secretary-General's initiatives aimed at resuming negotiations within the year, stressing that any settlement must be based on the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, providing for a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, a single sovereignty, a single international personality, and a single citizenship, in full accordance with the EU acquis and international law.
He also referred to the significant strengthening of UK-Cyprus relations in recent years in the fields of defence, security, and humanitarian cooperation, thanking Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for his visit to Cyprus and expressing confidence that the strategic partnership between the two countries would continue to deepen.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana, ended inconclusively.
After informal meetings in 2025, followed by a hiatus of several months, deliberations are underway for a new meeting in broader format to be held, as the term of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres nears its end. Mara Angela Holgun, Guterres' Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties. Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto acts as the European Commission's Special Representative for Cyprus, succeeding EU special envoy Johannes Hahn.