Nicosia: With a dual message to the United Kingdom and Turkey ahead of the 52nd anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK has called on both countries to contribute to the resumption of negotiations on the Cyprus issue by supporting the new United Nations initiative.
According to Cyprus News Agency, as part of the commemorations marking the anniversary of 20 July, the Federation presented a memorandum to the outgoing UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, thanking him for strengthening relations between London and Nicosia during his time in office. The memorandum highlights his meetings with the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, as well as his historic visit to Cyprus in December 2024, the first by a serving British Prime Minister in more than 50 years.
The Federation also calls on the new British government to maintain an active role as a Guarantor Power in efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue by continuing ministerial-level participation in the enlarged meetings and supporting a settlement based on the agreed UN framework, international law, and the EU acquis. It also reiterates its support for a reunited Cyprus, free of occupying troops and the system of guarantees.
In a separate letter to Turkey's Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Osman Koray Ertas, the Federation's President, Christos Karaolis, describes Turkey's presence in Cyprus as an "illegal invasion and ongoing occupation" lasting 52 years. He also urges Ankara to seize the opportunity presented by the new initiative of UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres and his Personal Envoy on Cyprus, Mara ngela Holgun, by demonstrating, as he states, good faith in the negotiations.
The letter also highlights the Republic of Cyprus' efforts to safeguard the rights of Turkish Cypriots through the issuance of Cypriot passports and identity cards, while criticising Turkey for its military actions in Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean. The Federation concludes that ending the occupation, withdrawing Turkish troops, and abolishing the system of guarantees could create the conditions for a reunited Cyprus and a new relationship between Turkey and the international community.
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 a broader format to be held, as the term of the UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres nears its end. Mara ngela 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.