British High Commissioner discusses Cyprus, Middle East developments with Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman

Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign and European Affairs, Harris Georgiades, met with the British High Commissioner to Cyprus, Michael Tatham, at the House of Representatives and discussed prospects for a Cyprus settlement, as well as the country's role amid developments in the Middle East.

A House announcement says that Georgiades, during the 25 June meeting, stressed that Turkey's revisionist stance leaves no room for optimism for substantial progress during the extended meeting in New York at the end of July. He added that the Cyprus issue is directly related to Turkey's foreign policy aspirations. Tatham, on his part, stressed the importance of continuing the dialogue and building trust and reaffirmed the UK's support for a gradual process towards achieving meaningful progress, the announcement adds.

In regard to the volatile situation in the Middle East, Georgiades noted Cyprus' efforts to handle the situation and safeguard its own security. He underlined the importance of EU involvement, noting that enhancing the role of the EU in the Mediterranean is among the priorities of the upcoming Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU. The British High Commissioner noted the pivotal role of Cyprus, due to its very good relations with all countries in the region, and expressed his country's appreciation for the facilities provided by Cyprus for the evacuation of British nationals from the war zone.

Georgiades and Tatham also discussed aspects of bilateral relations, among which the issue of high tuition fees in universities, as a result of Brexit.

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.

UN Secretary General announced that an informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format will be held at the end of July, following a similar meeting in Geneva, on March 17-18. The two sides agreed to proceed with a number of initiatives, involving the opening of crossing points, the creation of a Technical Committee on Youth and other initiatives in the buffer zone and throughout the island.

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres announced in early May the appointment of María Angela Holguín Cuéllar of Colombia as his Personal Envoy on Cyprus, who is tasked to reengage with the parties in order to work on next steps on the Cyprus issue and advise him. Holguín completed a previous assignment as Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General on Cyprus from January to July 2024.

The European Commission designated Johannes Hahn, a former European Commissioner, as Special Envoy for Cyprus to contribute to the settlement process, in close cooperation with Holguín.

(Source: CNA)